An area in Chilobwe, Malawi, devastated by a cyclone in 2023. Malawi is highly vulnerable to climate disasters (ANDREW MTUPANYAMA)

Moses Gera from Malawi’s southern district of Chikwawa is a worried man. Recently, he has been battling to find food for his family, including four children, and keeps promising them a meal without knowing where it will come from. 

The 43-year-old is a farmer and had been harvesting sufficient maize, the country’s staple food, until things changed around March last year. 

“My crop was good [before the flooding], but a month later, there were heavy rains, and the crops of many farmers in the area were swept away, leaving us all with nothing [to eat]. To make matters worse, my house was also damaged,” Gera said. 

For Margaret Manyetera from the Salima District in Central Region, the story took a different turn. She grew maize on her 2.5 hectares of land, but in her case, the rains stopped as her maize cobs were beginning to form and her entire crop withered. She said that now her cattle have basically grazed all the stalks of maize that remained. 

The most recent floods that began in March last year were a result of Cyclone Jude, one of several cyclones that have devastated the country’s agricultural production over the past three years, including Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Freddy.  

Tragic food shortage 

The tragic situation of Manyetera’s and Gera’s farms, along with countless others, resulted in a severe national food shortage, which forced authorities to intervene. 

In October last year, Malawian President Peter Mutharika declared a State of Disaster in 11 of the country’s 28 districts because of serious food insecurity as a result of either floods or a prolonged dry spell. 

Commissioner for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) Wilson Moleni described Mutharika’s declaration as timely. “The affected people will receive food assistance and cash through the Social Cash Transfer Programme to be implemented by the government and our partners.” 

Malawi’s Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi said the government had appealed for local and international support for the affected families. 

He said the 11 districts declared as disaster areas have about 20 percent of the population facing food insecurity, adding that the declaration will open doors for more partners to help. 

DoDMA developed the 2025/2026 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Plan to mobilise resources and guide the response interventions. The plan is pegged at 209 billion MWK ($120.88 million). So far, 138 billion MWK ($79.81 million) has been mobilised, leaving a resource gap of 71 billion MWK ($41.07 million). 

Chinese assistance 

Hearing the Malawian government’s appeal to humanitarian organisations and other partners to help to address the dire situation, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Malawi stepped up. Made up of Chinese-owned businesses in Malawi, the chamber donated 100 million MWK ($57,840) to DoDMA to support the country’s Lean Season Food Insecurity Response programme. The donation was divided into two parts: 80 million MWK ($46,270) worth of maize and 20 million MWK ($11,570) in cash. 

According to the chamber, the 20 million MWK cash will support urgent response efforts, while the maize will be distributed to the most vulnerable families affected by the lean season. 

Speaking during the donation handover ceremony earlier this year, the chamber’s chairperson Zhou Shanjian said it was an easy decision to make a donation, considering many Chinese companies have been in the country for some time. 

Zhou said after President Mutharika’s declaration of a disaster and appeal for assistance, the chamber decided to appeal to its members in the Chinese community to donate food and relief items to the government to assist the victims in the ongoing flood disaster. 

“This donation was motivated by a sense of responsibility to support Malawi, a country we regard as a second home,” he said, adding that he hoped it would bring relief to affected families, underscoring the spirit of unity between the Malawian government and the Chinese private business sector. 

“Some Chinese have lived in Malawi for over 20 years, raising families locally, contributing to the country’s economic development and assisting in times of need,” Zhou said. 

According to Zhou, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Malawi has 1,500 members active in various sectors such as manufacturing, supermarkets, mining, agriculture, tourism and trading.  

Saidi, who received the donation on behalf of the government, described the gesture as “an act of responsibility, solidarity and oneness.” 

“We are grateful to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Malawi for donating 100 million MWK, which will go a long way in assisting people who are suffering because of disasters. We value the gesture shown and assure you that the donation will be used for its intended purpose,” said Saidi. 

Along with the chamber, the Chinese government has been assisting Malawians facing food shortages with a donation in January of 3,200 tonnes of rice, valued at over $4 million.  

Zhou disclosed that this was not the first time his chamber had made a donation to Malawians, and they will continue to do so. 

In February, the chamber also donated 40 million MWK ($23,140) to the country’s First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi Trust, an initiative focused on environmental cleanliness, hygiene and social support.