Highlights

• While the proportion of households with very low food security status increased between 2010/11 and 2019/20, the proportion of households with high food security status declined in the same period.

• The most common reason for inadequate food consumption in 2010/11 and 2019/20 was lack of farm inputs. In 2016/17 drought was the most common reason due to the drought in the preceding farming season.

• There was a temporary decrease in food security and dietary diversity in 2016/17, which was also likely due to the drought.

• The most common food insecurity coping mechanism in all survey years was reliance on less preferred or less expensive foods. Overall, households had to resort to negative coping strategies more often in 2016/17 than in 2010/11 and 2019/20.

• Although nearly three quarters of households (70%) had an acceptable food consumption status as measured by the Food Consumption Score, most households failed to reach the recommended intake of energy and most micronutrients in 2019/20.

• The prevalence of stunting among children between 6 and 59 months of age remains high in Malawi at 26.7% in 2019/20.