High maize prices limit poor households but harvest should improve food access
KEY MESSAGES
• Ongoing humanitarian response programming for 1.97 million food insecure people is underway in 16 districts in southern Malawi. Very high maize prices in local markets and limited casual labor are constraining household access to food through markets. There are reports of widespread sharing of food rations, which suggests that beneficiaries must access food through market purchases at some point during the month.
• FEWS NET projects that between January and March acute food insecurity outcomes will be Stressed (IPC Phase 2) for poor households receiving assistance in 15 districts in the south, while in Chikhwawa district Crisis (IPC Phase 3) food insecurity outcomes are expected between January and March due to higher levels of mandatory ration sharing. Consumption of green foods is expected in March followed by harvests in April, improving food access among poor households. Acute food insecurity will be Minimal (IPC Phase 1) for the remainder of the outlook period.
• Despite a 20 day delay in the start of rains in southern Malawi, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DoCCMS) forecast is calling for average to above-average rainfall for the remainder of the season; however there is still a chance of dry spells and flooding which could impact crop development.
• Flooding due to heavy rainfall was reported in Salima, Mangochi, Phalombe, and Nsanje districts in early January, but damage to cropped areas was minimal and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is providing food and non-food assistance to affected households.