The United Kingdom has committed $3 million, or approximately K5.3 billion, to help Malawi prepare for a forecast El Niño event ahead of the 2026/27 agricultural season. British Deputy High Commissioner Ben Nicholson announced the funding at the National Climate Outlook Forum in Lilongwe, Nyasa Times reports. The financial support is intended to help the agricultural sector mitigate the effects of predicted dry conditions by promoting drought-resistant crop varieties, tracking maize market prices, and supplying climate information directly to farming communities. Minister of Natural Resources Patricia Wiskes stated that the government is treating the forecast as an opportunity to prepare for the erratic rainfall patterns expected in southern and central Malawi.
Update: In Parliament, Speaker Sameer Suleman is facing conflict of interest allegations regarding a failed fertiliser and tobacco exchange program with the company Eastbridge. Nyasa Times reports that the opposition is demanding answers following claims that the Speaker urged buyers to avoid government-owned tobacco stocks while his son served as the chief executive officer of Eastbridge Malawi. The dispute originates from a collapsed agreement from the previous administration, which required Eastbridge to supply fertiliser in return for tobacco and other agricultural commodities. The government recently terminated the arrangement after the company failed to meet its obligations, leading to ongoing legal disputes over tobacco purchased through the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund.