Malawi country strategic plan (2024–2028)

CSP approved at EB November 2023 session

Revision 01 approved by the RD in January 2024

Revision 02 approved by the RED-DGFAO in September 2024

Malawi is a low-income country that is highly vulnerable to recurrent and increasingly severe weather, economic and other shocks. Agriculture supports about 80 percent of rural livelihoods, but without a transformation of the food system it will be insufficient to lift Malawians out of poverty. A shift in the current food system to one that responds to interrelated challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, unemployment among young people, gender inequality, a lack of inclusivity and problems with the accessibility and affordability of food will be required if Malawi is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of its development plan.

Based on extensive consultations, evidence and analysis, this country strategic plan seeks to ensure the food and nutrition security of vulnerable people and communities while building the resilience of women, men and communities by supporting the transformation of food systems in ways that change lives. WFP will build on its experience in emergency food assistance and scale up integrated resilience building activities at the household and community levels while supporting improvements to national systems through capacity strengthening and the increased ownership and sustainability of interventions. WFP will place particular emphasis on promoting gender equality and ensuring opportunities for women, girls, young people and other vulnerable people. More than 50 percent of total direct beneficiaries will be women.

Leveraging its comparative advantages in Malawi, WFP will implement a five-year plan based on Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 17 and the WFP strategic plan for 2022–2025 and aligned with the United Nations sustainable development cooperation framework for 2024–2028, Malawi Vision 2063 and the ten-year national development plan. The country strategic plan sets out five integrated outcomes:

➢ Outcome 1: Food- and nutrition-insecure populations in Malawi, including refugees, affected by shocks can meet their food and nutrition needs throughout the year.

➢ Outcome 2: Targeted populations in Malawi have improved nutrition, health and education outcomes for enhanced human capital development in line with national targets by 2028.

➢ Outcome 3: People in Malawi, including women, youth and people with disabilities, have better and more climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods through improved resource management, skills development and access to financing and markets by 2028.

➢ Outcome 4: National and subnational actors in Malawi have strengthened capacities to design and implement policies and programmes for sustainable food and health systems as well as food and nutrition security by 2028.

➢ Outcome 5: Government and humanitarian and development partners in Malawi have improved access to and benefit from innovative, effective and cost-efficient supply chain, logistics and services throughout the year.

These outcomes are designed to mutually reinforce each other, using existing programmes, partnerships and opportunities to connect activities and achieve the intended outcomes through a combination of integrated interventions.

The WFP country office in Malawi will leverage the United Nations sustainable development cooperation framework and the coordination platforms of the Rome-based agencies to foster joint programming and resource mobilization.