Hard hit by El Niño: experiences, responses and options for Malawi

In Malawi, the impact of extreme weather events has significantly contributed to the recurrent crises of food insecurity. This analytical work was undertaken to assist the Government of Malawi to strengthen its efforts toward effectively responding to extreme weather-related events, especially El Niño and La Niña phenomena. Specifically, the study aims to provide a critical review of how the country has responded to recent extreme weather events, draw lessons for future response planning, and identify gaps and options to strengthen preparedness and response to El Niño, La Niña, and similar weather events.

The study used a combination of primary and secondary data collected from July to September 2017. Primary data were collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews in Malawi’s 15 disaster-prone districts. Secondary data included a review of various policies, research reports, and other documents.