Malawi

The Current Situation

Malawi has made significant progress in reducing hunger and undernutrition. From 1990 to 2015, prevalence of undernourishment has fallen by more than half (from 45 percent to 21 percent), and as of 2015/16 just 4 percent of children suffer from wasting (low weight for height). Yet challenges remain, as Malawi has experienced cycles of food shortages in recent years. Moreover, undernutrition persists despite some progress. Currently, 42 percent of children are stunted (low height for age) and 29 percent of women of reproductive age are anemic.

Compact2025 activities in Malawi

Compact2025 is committed to partnering with Malawi and relevant stakeholders to this acceleration to the end of hunger and undernutrition by 2025. To achieve t hese outcomes, Compact2025 has undertaken several specific activities in the country:

• Compact2025 Malawi Forum: Moving from relief to resilience, October 2017
• National Roundtable Discussion, May 2016

Overview

On May 26, 2016, a roundtable discussion was held in Lilongwe to bring together stakeholders from agriculture, social protection, nutrition, gender, water, sanitation, and government. Among the outcomes outlined in a scoping study informed by the roundtable discussion was the need for the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee to collect and analyze agriculture production data to accelerate early action, implement a new National Social Support Program, and make agricultural commodity policies more transparent with a market-driven approach.

The Roundtable Discussion held in May 2016 resulted in the creation of 5 key recommendations for the progression of Compact2025 activities and outcomes in Malawi. These recommendations are:

1. Strengthen capacity at all levels
2. “Break the cycle” with holistic, transparent, and market-driven approaches
3. Improve accountability and coordination
4. Fine-tune and implement nutrition-driven policies
5. Fill data, indicator, and knowledge gaps

Read more about these recommendations from the Malawi Roundtable Discussion. [Meeting synopsis]

A scoping study was also developed for informing Compact2025 activities, providing an overview on food security and nutrition challenges and opportunities in Malawi. Later in 2017, Compact2025 held the "Moving from relief to resilience" forum in Lilongwe on October 31, 2017 to follow up on the recommendations from the roundtable discussion. This forum focused on how Malawi can break the cycle of food shortages and humanitarian responses.

Leadership Council Members in Malawi

• Saulos Chilima, Vice President, Republic of Malawi

Relevant Resource and Information

Does providing agricultural and nutrition information to both men and women improve household food security? Evidence from Malawi
Ragasa, Catherine; Aberman, Noora-Lisa; Mingote, Cristina Alvarez. Washington DC: IFPRI. 2019

Series:
IFPRI descriptor:
Countries/Regions:MALAWI;

Record detail | View

Transforming the Food System in Malawi and Vietnam
CGIAR. Washington DC: IFPRI. 2018

Series:
IFPRI descriptor:
Countries/Regions:MALAWI; VIET NAM; AFRICA; ASIA;

Record detail | View

Using a Community-Based Early Childhood Development Center as a Platform to Promote Production and Consumption Diversity Increases Children's Dietary Intake and Reduces Stunting in Malawi: A Cluster-Randomized Trial
Gelli, Aulo; Margolies, Amy; Santacroce, Marco; Roschnik, Natalie; Twalibu, Aisha; Katundu, Mangani; Moestue, Helen; Alderman, Harold; Ruel, Marie. Washington DC: IFPRI. 2018

Series:
IFPRI descriptor:
Countries/Regions:MALAWI;

Record detail | View

Accelerating progress to end hunger and undernutrition in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Rwanda
Compact2025. Washington DC: IFPRI. 2016

Series:
IFPRI descriptor:
Countries/Regions:BANGLADESH; ETHIOPIA; MALAWI; RWANDA;

Record detail | View

‘Multi-stakeholder collaboration critical to ending malnutrition’
United Nations Malawi. Washington DC: IFPRI. 2018

Series:
IFPRI descriptor:
Countries/Regions:MALAWI;

Record detail | View