According to Nation Online, a new Food Security Monitor report published by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa reveals that Malawi currently has the cheapest maize in Southern Africa, averaging K963 per kilogramme. The report projects that maize prices will drop further following an anticipated average to above-average 2026 harvest. Grace Mijiga-Mhango, president of the Grain Traders Association of Malawi, told Nation Online that these lower domestic prices are prompting some local traders to export their grain to regional markets.
Despite the drop in maize prices, Malawian farmers continue to face high agricultural input costs. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa report indicates that NPK fertiliser prices have risen to K3,748.97 per kilogramme. This marks a 49 percent year-on-year increase driven by supply constraints and import costs, according to Nation Online. Urea fertiliser has also recorded a 52 percent annual increase, reaching K3,432.22 per kilogramme.
In response to rising chemical input prices, smallholder farmers in Ntchisi and Dowa are adopting agroecological practices, reports Tionge Hara via Substack. Under the Improved Livelihood and Resilience project, implemented by the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi and DanChurchAid, 1,500 beneficiaries are establishing food forests and using compost-based farming. To support this transition, the initiative has distributed nearly 2,700 goats to farmers, providing essential manure to rejuvenate soils and maintain crop yields without relying on expensive commercial fertilisers.