By Chisomo Phiri
Government has called on the private sector to help close a K324.8 billion funding gap in Malawi’s 2026/27 El Niño preparedness plan as the country is expected to faces increased food-security risks, particularly in the Southern Region.
Chief Secretary to Government Justin Saidi made the call on Wednesday in Lilongwe during a government-private sector engagement on El Niño preparedness.
Saidi said the plan is centred on two pillars,preparedness and resilience,and covers 14 priority areas, including agriculture, food security, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, energy, protection and logistics.
He said the plan requires K488.5 billion, against K163.7 billion that has so far been mobilised through government, development partners, humanitarian organisations and non-governmental organisations.
Saidi warned that the funding shortfall could undermine efforts to strengthen the country’s resilience and prepare communities for potential weather shocks.
According to a presentation by the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Malawi requires about 440,000 metric tonnes of maize to strengthen national reserves and support emergency response.
The preparedness measures will also include replenishing strategic food reserves, protecting supply chains, positioning food stocks in high-risk areas and improving access to climate information.
Meanwhile, Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Ronald Ngwira (MCCCI) says the private sector views El Niño as both an economic and business-continuity issue, rather than solely a disaster-management concern.
Ngwira says businesses can support preparedness efforts through logistics, storage, transportation, digital systems, insurance, financing, agricultural support and business-continuity programmes.
The Southern Region remains the most exposed, with 12 districts, including Mangochi, Balaka, Blantyre, Phalombe, Mulanje, Thyolo, Chiradzulu, Chikwawa and Nsanje, facing varying levels of risk from dry spells, severe drought and extreme rainfall.
