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In Malawi, most smallholder farmers face extremely difficult growing conditions and depend heavily on government subsidies to cultivate their fields.
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However, this support does not always reach those in most need. When effective accountability mechanisms are established, people become informed about their rights and are empowered to voice their concerns, leading government agencies to significantly improve their services.
Chronic Hunger Exacerbated by Weak Governance
Nearly 4.2 million people, or 20 percent of Malawi’s total population, face chronic food and nutrition insecurity. One of them is Ibrahim Ali, a subsistence farmer living in a remote village in the Mangochi district. During the rainy season, his village is often cut off, leaving children without access to education and pregnant women without health care. The soil on his small plot is severely depleted, and his crops are under constant threat from drought, heavy rains, and natural disasters, such as Cyclone Freddy, which destroyed his crops in 2023. Additionally, he struggles to afford seeds and fertilizer, all of which jeopardizes his Right to Food.