‘Nothing grows anymore’: In Malawi, eating becomes a daily struggle due to climate change
The combined effects of cyclones and droughts, worsened by climate change, have led to widespread food insecurity in Malawi. While some adaptation efforts are emerging in this agriculture-dependent country, they have yet to gain traction on a larger scale.
“I can't stand the taste anymore. But it's this or nothing.” Musamude Binzi slices his mango in half, holding back a wince as he bites into it with full force. For him and all the residents of his village of Kamuga, in the Chikwawa region of southern Malawi, this tropical fruit is the only food they've had access to for over a year. "We boil them, grill them, make porridge, or juice ... We know every way to cook them," the young man said.
For a long time, maize, the staple food in Malawi, filled their plates, harvested directly from the fields around the village. But for two seasons now, those fields have remained barren. "There used to be enough to feed everyone and sell the surplus for income," said Joseph Yona, the village chief. "Now, all our fields are flooded, and the water won’t go down. We can no longer grow anything."
From cyclones to droughts
Read more'We lost everything that day': After Cyclone Freddy, Malawi struggles to rebuild
In the years that followed, these episodes became more frequent. "We then came up with the idea of replanting trees near the riverbed to protect ourselves," Mbalame said.
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