Malawians Say Droughts, Floods, Soil Erosion Have Worsened, Call for Swift Government Action

23 January 2026
Afrobarometer (Accra)
By Dennis Samuel Chikoko and Witness Tapani Alfonso

Many report adjusting crops, water use, and livestock practices in response to changing weather patterns.

Key findings

  • Large majorities of Malawians say crop failure (86%) and droughts (77%) have become more severe in their region over the past decade. Six in 10 (61%) say land or soil erosion has worsened.
  • Residents in the Southern Region are most likely to report these impacts.
  • Many Malawians report having to adjust their lives in response to changing weather patterns, including changing the crops they cultivate or foods they consume (58%), reducing or rescheduling their outdoor work (38%), using less water or changing water sources (29%), and reducing their livestock holdings or shifting grazing patterns (28% of those who have livestock). More than two in 10 (23%) report having relocated.
  • More than three in four Malawians (77%) say they have heard of climate change. Among those who are aware of climate change:
  • Close to nine in 10 (87%) say climate change is making life in Malawi worse.
  • Most (81%) say that human activities are the main cause of climate change.
  • Most (81%) say that human activities are the main cause of climate change.
  • There is strong public support for policies to address changing weather patterns and environmental degradation, including infrastructure investment (93%), pressuring developed countries to provide climate aid (82%), investment in wind and solar technologies (78%), a ban on tree cutting for firewood or charcoal (75%), and a mandatory switch to cookstoves that use cleaner fuels.

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Malawi ranks 169th out of 187 countries on the ND-GAIN Country Index, reflecting high vulnerability to climate change and low readiness to confront the menace (Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative, 2024). Climate variability and exposure to more complex, frequent, and intense climate extremes constitute a key threat to agriculture and food security in Malawi. The landlocked country relies heavily on agriculture, which contributes 23% of gross domestic product, 80% of export revenue, and one-fourth of employment (World Bank, 2022; Malawi Investment and Trade Centre, 2025).

Over the past decade, Malawi's development growth has been hindered by numerous extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, and storms. Tropical cyclones Ana, Idai, Gombe, and especially Freddy have caused flooding and mudslides resulting in deaths and the destruction of homes, livestock, crops, health facilities, roads, and other infrastructure (Lutala & Makwero, 2023; Viano, 2024).

The government has made extensive policy and programmatic efforts to mitigate climate-change impacts, although implementation remains a challenge. The National Climate Change Management Policy (2016) aims to mainstream climate action into national development planning and guide both mitigation and adaptation strategies (Government of Malawi, 2016). With a pledge to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 6% by 2040, energy-sector reforms have also been central, with initiatives such as the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme and the Renewable Energy Strategy promoting solar, hydro, and mini-grid projects to reduce reliance on biomass (Government of Malawi, 2017, 2021).

The government has also launched a number of initiatives and processes to help vulnerable communities and ecosystems adapt to climate-change impacts, including the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions, a National Climate Change Response Framework, and national adaptation plans (Government of Malawi, 2021). In forestry and land use, the country has implemented forest landscape restoration and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programmes to mitigate deforestation and enhance carbon sequestration (Government of Malawi, 2021). Despite these efforts, evidence points to little impact due to insufficient funding, weak institutional capabilities, and reliance on donor funding, highlighting the disconnect between ambitious policy formulation, implementation, and final outcomes (Kosamu, 2013).

Findings from the Afrobarometer Round 10 survey show that most Malawians report worsening drought, soil erosion, and crop failure in their area over the past decade. Many say they have taken steps to adapt to changing weather patterns, including changes in crops and foods, livestock raising, and water use.

Among the three-fourths of citizens who have heard of climate change, most say that it is making life worse and that their government and developed countries must take immediate action to limit its impact.

Large majorities express support for government investment in weather-resilient infrastructure, funding for wind and solar energy, a ban on tree cutting for fuel, and other policies in response to changes in climate.

Dennis Samuel Chikoko Dennis Samuel Chikoko is a research intern at the Centre for Social Research, University of Malawi.

Witness Tapani Alfonso Witness Tapani Alfonso is a junior research fellow at the Centre for Social Research at the University of Malawi in Zomba.

Read the original article on Afrobarometer.

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