Thousands of farmers in Salima Agriculture Development Division (ADD) are facing heavy losses after prolonged dry spells damaged large tracts of crops at critical growth stages, raising fears of poor harvests and deepening food insecurity.
Salima ADD programme manager Benson Sumani has confirmed that the dry conditions have affected more than 4,000 hectares of maize, 1,400 hectares of soya beans and smaller portions of rice across the division.
In an interview on Monday, Sumani said the dry spell began around January 9, 2026, and persisted for more than two weeks, striking when most crops were at highly sensitive stages of development.
"The dry spell caused moisture stress and wilting of crops, especially in Salima District, which was more affected than Nkhotakota that continued to receive intermittent rains," said Sumani.
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He said by January 23, a total of 4,082 hectares of maize belonging to 8,412 households had been affected, along with 1,452 hectares of soya beans affecting 2,911 households and 18 hectares of rice affecting 72 households.
According to Sumani, most of the affected maize was at vegetative, tasseling and cobbing stages--periods when crops require consistent moisture to develop properly.
One of the affected farmers, Wester Chikolopa from Sadzu in Traditional Authority Kalonga, said the situation has left him devastated after investing heavily in his farm.
"I used all my savings to buy fertilizer and seed. Now the crops are wilting, and I don't know if I will recover anything. This is very painful," said Chikolopa.
The losses have raised serious concerns about household food security, particularly for smallholder farmers who rely almost entirely on rain-fed agriculture.
Agriculture expert Tamani Nkhono-Mvula has urged authorities and farmers in the area to rethink their dependence on maize and shift towards more climate-resilient crops.
"Salima experiences dry spells almost every year. Continuing to rely on maize is no longer sustainable," said Nkhono-Mvula.
He advised farmers to diversify into drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum and cassava, and to grow rice only in water-logged areas where moisture is more reliable.
"Climate patterns have changed, and farming practices must change as well. Otherwise, farmers will continue losing crops season after season," he said.
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The latest damage adds to growing concerns over climate shocks across the country, with experts warning that Malawi's food systems remain dangerously vulnerable to erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells.
