331
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
B. R. Singh et al. (eds.), Climate Impacts on Agricultural and Natural Resource
Sustainability in Africa, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37537-9_20
Policy and Action for Food and Climate
Uncertainties in Malawi
Ruth Haug and Ola T. Westengen
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to assess lessons learned from past and present
policies and actions related to creating a conducive environment for a sustainable food
system transformation in Malawi. We take a food system approach because it provides the opportunity for a holistic and integrated analysis of the drivers and constraints that influence the Malawian food system such as climate change and high
levels of food insecurity and rural poverty. Lessons learned include the importance of
national ownership and recognition of what is politically feasible and institutionally
implementable in efforts towards a more sustainable food system. Finding solutions
to food and climate uncertainties lies in the interface between policy and action and
requires small-scale farmers’ creativity and ability to adjust to change, without transferring the responsibility of climate adaptation to small-scale farmers with limited
adaptation capacity. An integrated approach to food and climate uncertainties will call
for socioeconomic and technological innovations that mutually strengthen each other
whilst ensuring that the technology works for small- scale men and women farmers in
accordance with the intentions set out in the sustainable development goals.
1 Introduction
Climate change is a serious threat to future food and livelihood security in Malawi
(Thurlow et al. 2014; Challinor et al. 2016; IPCC 2018). The country has already
experienced numerous disasters triggered by adverse weather. Between 1967 and
2015, Malawi went through 7 severe droughts and 20 floods, including the floods of
2015 in which Malawi received the highest rainfall ever recorded (GoM 2015). In
2016, the disaster continued with an El Niño-induced drought that contributed to
hunger and a renewed need for humanitarian assistance (GoM 2016). There is a
close relationship between vulnerability to climate change and poverty (Hallegatte
et al. 2016). Countries that are heavily dependent upon agriculture, such as Malawi
where agriculture constitutes around one third of BNP and employs the majority of
the population (WB 2018), are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Malawi is
R. Haug (*) · O. T. Westengen
Noragric, Landsam, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
e-mail: ruth.haug@nmbu.no
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
B. R. Singh et al. (eds.), Climate Impacts on Agricultural and Natural Resource
Sustainability in Africa, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37537-9_20
Policy and Action for Food and Climate
Uncertainties in Malawi
Ruth Haug and Ola T. Westengen
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to assess lessons learned from past and present
policies and actions related to creating a conducive environment for a sustainable food
system transformation in Malawi. We take a food system approach because it provides the opportunity for a holistic and integrated analysis of the drivers and constraints that influence the Malawian food system such as climate change and high
levels of food insecurity and rural poverty. Lessons learned include the importance of
national ownership and recognition of what is politically feasible and institutionally
implementable in efforts towards a more sustainable food system. Finding solutions
to food and climate uncertainties lies in the interface between policy and action and
requires small-scale farmers’ creativity and ability to adjust to change, without transferring the responsibility of climate adaptation to small-scale farmers with limited
adaptation capacity. An integrated approach to food and climate uncertainties will call
for socioeconomic and technological innovations that mutually strengthen each other
whilst ensuring that the technology works for small- scale men and women farmers in
accordance with the intentions set out in the sustainable development goals.
1 Introduction
Climate change is a serious threat to future food and livelihood security in Malawi
(Thurlow et al. 2014; Challinor et al. 2016; IPCC 2018). The country has already
experienced numerous disasters triggered by adverse weather. Between 1967 and
2015, Malawi went through 7 severe droughts and 20 floods, including the floods of
2015 in which Malawi received the highest rainfall ever recorded (GoM 2015). In
2016, the disaster continued with an El Niño-induced drought that contributed to
hunger and a renewed need for humanitarian assistance (GoM 2016). There is a
close relationship between vulnerability to climate change and poverty (Hallegatte
et al. 2016). Countries that are heavily dependent upon agriculture, such as Malawi
where agriculture constitutes around one third of BNP and employs the majority of
the population (WB 2018), are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Malawi is
R. Haug (*) · O. T. Westengen
Noragric, Landsam, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
e-mail: ruth.haug@nmbu.no