An estimated 1.9 million people in Malawi (10 percent of the analysed population) are experiencing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of acute food insecurity between April and September 2026, marking a notable improvement compared with the previous two years. This progress reflects a favourable 2025/26 agricultural season following the severe El Niño impacts of 2024/25. 

Despite improved production, household purchasing power continues to be eroded by high food prices, elevated inflation, sharp fuel price adjustments, foreign-exchange shortages, and high premiums on the parallel exchange market—particularly affecting poor households in urban areas and low-income rural households. 

Conditions are expected to deteriorate during the October 2026 to March 2027 lean season, with an estimated 2.6 million people (14 percent of the analysed population) projected to face Phase 3. Early climate forecasts further indicate an increased likelihood of strong El Niño conditions during the 2026/27 rainy season.  

• Ensure humanitarian assistance for populations in IPC Phase 3, focusing on timely food, cash and/or livelihood assistance that address immediate food consumption gaps.  
• Promote and expand irrigation and winter cropping interventions in areas with reliable water sources and residual moisture. This should be supported through timely provision of agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertiliser, and pesticides to enhance production and household food availability. 
• Ensure adequate strategic grain reserves and strengthen market stabilisation mechanisms through Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) and the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA). Maintaining sufficient maize stocks is critical for stabilising staple food prices and ensuring availability during periods of seasonal scarcity and market stress. 
• Scale up nutrition-sensitive interventions and promote dietary diversification to improve nutrition outcomes. This includes dissemination of key nutrition messages, promotion of diversified diets, and support for production and consumption of nutrient-rich crops. 
• Improve feeding practices and post-harvest management to reduce food loss and waste. Training farmers and communities in better storage, handling, and processing techniques is critical to preserving food quality and availability. 
• Support livelihood diversification and income-generating activities to reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture. This includes promotion of small businesses, vocational training, and value addition to agricultural produce to improve household income stability. 
• Strengthen agricultural and financial inclusion programmes to improve access to inputs, credit, and financial services for smallholder farmers and vulnerable households, thereby enhancing productivity and resilience.