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Current Requirements (US$)$57.5 million
Crisis overview
On 23 March 2024, Malawi’s President Chakwera declared a state of disaster affecting 9 million people, across 23 of the country’s 28 districts, due to an El Niño-induced drought. The UN Humanitarian Country Team identified 6.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, with 3.8 million targeted through the Malawi Drought Flash Appeal’s inter-sectoral response.
Floods, below-normal rainfall, and prolonged dry spells significantly reduced maize harvests. According to the second Agricultural Production Estimates Survey, maize production fell from 3.5 million metric tons (MT) in 2022/23 to 2.9 MT in 2023/24, well below the five-year average of 3.8 MT. This sharp decline has worsened food insecurity, impacting multiple sectors, including protection, education, and health.
The July 2024 IPC assessment reported that 20 per cent of the population—approximately 4.2 million people—were in IPC Phase 3 or above between July and September 2024. This number is projected to increase to 5.7 million (28 per cent of the population) with 416,000 people in IPC Phase 4, between October 2024 and March 2025.
Khanene Village, Machinga, southern Malawi
A health worker uses MUAC on 3 months old Ethel George who is on home based Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food therapy in her maize field.
UNICEF/Thoko ChikondiSince August, the situation has been compounded by outbreaks of cholera and measles. As of 31 September, WHO Malawi confirmed 51 cholera cases across four districts, with Chitipa and Karonga being the most affected. Limited access to adequate WASH facilities is expected to drive further spread of cholera through late 2024 and into early 2025.
The crisis has also heightened protection concerns. Child-headed households are on the rise as parents have been forced to migrate in search of income to support their families. Negative coping mechanisms, including school dropouts, and child-marriages, are also increasing.
Recent forecasts indicate that Malawi will experience normal to above-normal rains during the next rainy season due to La Niña. While this may improve harvest yields in certain areas, the delayed onset of the rains is expected to extend the lean season by one month, exacerbating food insecurity. Additionally, above-average rainfall could lead to flooding in certain parts of the country increasing the total number of people in need. Food insecurity and related protection, heath, education and WASH concerns are therefore expected to persist into 2025.
Blantyre, southern Malawi
14-year-old Joel, a cholera survivor, prepares to drink water at Kapeni Primary School.
UNICEF/Thoko ChikondiResponse priorities in 2025
The effects of the drought are expected to continue to impact over 6 million people between January and April 2025, with approximately 5.7 million people experiencing IPC Phase 3 or above between October 2024 and March 2025.
All sectors will continue to implement the activities outlined in the Flash Appeal between January and April 2025. The Government, WFP and partners will continue food distributions while the agriculture sector will implement multi-purpose cash transfer and cash-for-work programmes in affected districts to rebuild community structures damaged by disasters and promote climate-resilient farming practices. Starting in January 2025, with CERF support, UNICEF will implement an education and nutrition response for children, while the health sector will respond to and mitigate the spread of cholera while delivering other life-saving interventions in affected communities.
However, funding restraints are likely to have an impact on the number of people reached in 2025.
Mukwala Village, T/A Mkhumba, Phalombe District, Malawi
After the two disasters, cyclone Freddy in 2023 and no rains between 2023 end and 2024, Mary only managed to harvest one bag of maize out of her farm this season.
UNICEF/Elephant Media/Gabriel MminaFinancial requirements
The total amount required under the drought response Flash Appeal is $136.5 million from July 2024 to April 2025, targeting the most vulnerable people in need of humanitarian assistance. This amount is a fraction of the total amount requested under the National Flash Appeal which also covers early recovery, resilience and development projects. Sector leads in Malawi selected and budgeted the most appropriate projects to include in the UN Flash Appeal.
The 2024 requirement was $79 million and as of 25 November, only $26.3 million (or 33 per cent) was funded, with certain sectors either not funded (early recovery) or severely underfunded (agriculture at 6.1% funded). Education and WASH both received more than 100 per cent of their total ask for 2024.
To support the response, Malawi received a $2 million rapid response allocation from CERF in May 2024 and an additional $4 million from the CERF during the second round of allocations for underfunded emergencies in September 2024.
The 2025 requirement is $57.5 million. The current Flash Appeal runs until April 2025 and there are no plans to revise the funding request during this period.
Evolution of the humanitarian response
08-Feb-2026
Evolution of the humanitarian response
| Year | Type | People in need | People targeted | Requirements ($) | Funding ($) | % Funded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
6.1 million
|
3.8 million
|
$57.5 million
|
$22.5 million
|
39.2%
|
|
| 2024 |
6.1 million
|
3.8 million
|
$79 million
|
$44.1 million
|
55.8%
|
|
| 2023 |
5.9 million
|
4.8 million
|
$115.9 million
|
$45.9 million
|
39.6%
|
|
| 2022 |
0.7 million
|
0.5 million
|
$29.5 million
|
$21.4 million
|
72.8%
|
2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction
Response highlights
Between July and September 2024, 1.1 people were reached out of 3.8 million targeted, including 30,916 people with disabilities and 19,465 elderly people.
Gender-based violence
Over 363,000 people have already received gender-based violence (GBV), and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) support, with a total of 800,000 people projected to be reached by the end of 2024.
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Over 415,000 people were reached with critical WASH/ hygiene supplies.
Food security
Significant needs which have not been met. As of October 2024, the food security sector had reached less than 4% of the people targeted while the agriculture sector had reached less than 1% of the people targeted. This is concerning given the increasing food insecurity rates in Malawi with the latest MVAC report indicating that there will be at least 416,000 people in IPC Phase 4, between October 2024 and March 2025.
Consequences of inaction
The Malawi Flash Appeal is significantly underfunded.
Food security
The Food Security Sector has a gap of 67.3 per cent for 2024 which means that only 86,000 out of 2.4 million people targeted have been reached with critical food distributions.
Agriculture
At the same time, the agriculture sector remains critically underfunded and as a result has reached only 86,000 of the 2.2 million people targeted. Rebuilding communal agriculture infrastructure and equipping farmers with climate appropriate supplies is paramount in Malawi where 80 per cent of households rely on agriculture as their main source of income.
Malnutrition
In August 2024, a 43 per cent increase in children with severe wasting and an 82 per cent increase in children with moderate wasting was registered compared to the same month in 2023. As the food security crisis continues into the lean season, malnutrition rates are likely to rise.
Refugee
The refugee response is also limited by underfunding, with a gap of 60 per cent for 2024 and requiring an additional $1.1 million in 2025.
Access
There were no major access problems faced by partners responding to the drought, however future extreme flooding or cyclones may limit access as they did during the 2023 Cyclone Freddy Response.
References
- Except shelter whose projects have terminated as people targeted have returned to their homes