malawi droughts

͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀

malawi droughts

͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀

Malawi has a long, long history of droughts. One of the worst being the one in 1970, but recently, there's one that is even worse, data says. “October 2021 to January 2022 period is reported to be one of the driest periods for the country since 1970, with the Central Region of Malawi experiencing one of the worst droughts on record. Fews Net science partners and other international forecasts indicate rainfall deficits are likely to continue through the remainder of the 2021-22 season, further increasing the risk of a below-average harvest in March and April 2022,” the report reads. There was also a drought in 2001 to 2002 that was talked about in the novel, The boy who harnessed the wind. These droughts kill the maize which is the main food source for the people living in malawi, causing thousands of deaths among the country.

malawi droughts

͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀

The droughts have numerous effects on almost everything. The droughts cause Malawi to face immense food insecurity. This, then in turn, cause the people and the livestock to starve and die. The lack of food also increases violence. The drought also ruins the land.

malawi droughts

͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀⠀

In late 2016, The World Bank had approved $174 million to assist millions of Malawians suffering from food shortages and other drought-related challenges in recovering and strengthening their resilience to future weather-related shocks. The funding came from two projects: the Malawi Drought Recovery and Resilience Project (MDRRP), which received a $104 million grant, and the Strengthening Safety Nets Systems Project (SSNSP) - Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF) IV, which received a $47.68 million grant and a credit of $22.32 million. This will help give Malawi more food during droughts in order to prevent starvation and the death of thousands.