It’s good to be back in Malawi and especially at this time of year when the rainy season is ending and everything looks so fresh and green. I did the 5-hour drive from Lilongwe to Mzuzu today and it needed full concentration to avoid the potholes and the endless roadworks and there wasn’t really time to enjoy the scenery. It did occur to me, however, that there are two illusions at work here: Firstly, these roadworks have been going on for at least 18 months and there is no perceptible difference in the potholes. And the second illusion is that the fields and hills look green and verdant but, in reality, Malawi is facing poor harvests and months of hunger.
Malawi, along with Zambia and Zimbabwe has declared a State of Disaster with harvests predicted to be down by 70% this year. The rains have been inconsistent and, although things look green, the lack of rain at crucial times in the crop cycle has meant more crop disease and the maize cobs have failed to develop. Malawi’s President Chakwera, in declaring a state of disaster in 23 districts affected by drought, or floods caused by the climate emergency, shared a report from the Ministry of Agriculture and other partners stating that 2 million households have been affected by the severe drought, which has led to food insecurity with many people at risk of malnutrition and hunger.
That long drive North gave me plenty time to ponder all this. At one level, it seems such a hopeless situation, and Malawi is well used to taking one step forward and two steps back. But I was also reflecting on Easter Sunday just passed – Easter is a huge festival in Malawi – and the hope that is found in the resurrection. Malawi is suffering, and Malawi Fruits is not immune from that as we struggle through a dark economic period in the country, but there is hope. I will share some of that hope in the coming days but meantime here is a picture of hope and joy from one of our projects.
Malawi Fruits 