Update: Malawi's preparations for the anticipated 2026/27 El Niño dry spell are facing a K324.8 billion funding gap, according to Nation Online. The government requires K488.5 billion to safeguard food security, energy, and water systems, but only K163.7 billion has been mobilized so far. To secure the 440,000 metric tonnes of maize required for national reserves, economic experts are urging the government to prioritize immediate irrigation farming through institutions like the Greenbelt Authority and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources rather than relying on disaster donations.
At the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Malawian officials continued pitching regional integration and commercialization to improve the agricultural sector, Nyasa Times reports. Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Simon Itaye proposed creating cross-border value chains, suggesting Malawi could supply raw materials to Tanzania for animal feed processing and subsequently import the feed for domestic poultry farming. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Roza Mbilizi urged African governments to give farmers, youth, and the private sector a larger role in policymaking to support agricultural commercialization and mechanization, according to Malawi24.
In related climate adaptation efforts, the Rainwater Harvesting Association of Malawi has launched the 'Tikolole Madzi a Mvula' campaign at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences in Blantyre, Nation Online reports. The initiative encourages farmers and communities to adopt rainwater harvesting to combat weather-related water shortages. Association Vice-President Augustine Masamba stated that Malawi has the capacity to harvest over 90 billion cubic meters of rainwater, which could provide a vital water source for agriculture and rural livelihoods.