Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa, approximately one and a half times the size of Ireland.
The country continues to be badly affected by climate change. Some 80% of the population of 20 million depend on subsistence farming to survive. Drought and flooding contribute to regular chronic food shortages.
Ireland’s partnership with Malawi
Ireland has worked in Malawi since 2007. We partner with the Government and NGOs to support people in the country.
Ireland's priorities include social protection, strengthening governance, gender equality and sustainable food systems.
Irish Aid’s work in Malawi
Ireland's development work in Malawi covers four main policy areas:
Background
A young democracy following independence from Britain in 1964, Malawi is a stable and peaceful country. Malawi is working hard to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Malawi Implementation Plan 1 aims to transform the country into a middle-income economy by 2030.
Malawi has experienced modest economic growth in recent years. Despite this, it experiences very high levels of poverty. Half the population live below the poverty line. The country faces many barriers to economic progress. These include low levels of education and limited job opportunities.
Climate change poses a huge challenge to Malawi. The country experiences frequent flooding and droughts. These contribute to high levels of food insecurity.
Sustainable food systems
Agriculture is the largest sector of the Malawian economy. Almost 80% of Malawians rely on agriculture. Most people rely on a single annual crop of maize grown during a short rainy season.
Climate and food
Climate action to support sustainable food systems is central to Ireland’s work in Malawi. Ireland supports rural families to improve crop productivity and diversification.
Adapting to the effects of climate change is key. Our work is helping people to produce more diversified and nutritious crops. It is also leading to improved soil fertility and land management practices.
Thousands of tree seedlings have been planted in the last two years. Furthermore, almost 5,000 metric tonnes of drought tolerant seeds have been given to small farmers through Ireland’s partner, International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Strengthening governance
Ireland recognises the importance of accountable and transparent governance systems. We support a range of initiatives to increase people's involvement in governance.
Projects supported include the establishment of a national registration system and guides on democratic elections processes.
Ireland also supports the Government’s public finance management system and decentralisation policy.
Gender equality
Promoting gender equality is a core part of Ireland's work in Malawi. As in many other countries, gender-based violence is a problem in Malawi. Child marriage is also a real problem for young girls.
Ireland partners with the UN and others to help support and protect vulnerable young girls.
How cash transfers have transformed life for Elina
A widow with two teenagers, Elina Mtewa relies on the Social Cash Transfers Programme (SCTP) supported by Ireland. Before joining the programme, life for Elina and her children was tough. They did not have enough money for food and schooling.
But the SCTP has transformed their lives.
“I saw it as a miracle, receiving cash transfers on a monthly basis," she says. "I was also encouraged to join the village savings and loans association (VSLA). This helped me to save and access loans from the group.”
Helping generations
Elina was able to save enough to start a small business selling vegetables and fruits. This gave her money to send her children to school. She also bought the materials to build a brick house roofed with iron sheets and floored with cement. The house took her three years to complete.
She now keeps goats and chickens and was able to pay for her children’s education.
Elina's life has transformed as a result of regular income through the programme.
Social protection
Ireland is supporting the scaling-up of Malawi’s National Social Cash Transfer Programme. This ensures regular monthly payments to thousands of poor households.
The 2021/22 poor harvest saw Ireland join with the UN and EU member states to respond in the eight most affected districts. Ireland contributed €1.5 million to this response, in addition to the regular payments.
Ireland is also leading on developing an e-payment system that is being rolled out across the country.