Malawi

  • Malawi is considered peaceful and politically largely stable. The landlocked country in Southeast Africa faces enormous challenges. These include a high poverty rate, widespread malnutrition, a low level of education, one weak healthcare and a high population growth.

  • Health, geopolitical and climate-related shocks. They hinder the country's economic and social development. The coronavirus pandemic, as well as a recent months-long cholera epidemic, have contributed to this. Job loss, hunger and has led to an additional burden on the already weak healthcare system.

  • Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has driven up world market prices. This is reflected in Malawi through a high inflation and increased prices for food, fertilizer and fuel noticeable – with negative consequences for the supply situation of the people. In addition, Malawi is suffering from the consequences of climate change, severe weather events and weather irregularities. They are becoming more frequent. Several hurricanes have recently devastated large areas of land and destroyed the homes of thousands. This has set the country back years in its development.

  • All of this has led to Malawi currently being in what is probably its biggest economic crisis since gaining its independence 1964. The country is heavily indebted and, due to a lack of foreign currency, can no longer import sufficient quantities of even vital goods such as fuel or medicine. Agriculture is suffering from a shortage of seeds and fertilizer. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), more than a quarter of the population is suffering from persistent food insecurity.

  • Malawi is among the the least developed countries in the world (LDCs). Malawi ranks in the current United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) 172nd out of 193 countries and Malawi ranks still behind countries such as Syria.

  • Population is growing rapidly
  • A major challenge for Malawi's development is its strong population growth (2.57 percent in 2023). More than 40 percent of the population are under 15 years old. According to calculations by the United Nations, the population of the country of currently around 20 million almost double by the year 2050. Without fundamental changes to economic and social conditions, catastrophic consequences threaten – for example: for social peace and food security.
  • The impact on nature is also alarming: As the growing population requires ever more firewood, large parts of the country are now deforested. More than half of Malawi's land area is already deforested. Soil erosion and nutrient loss affected.

Key figures for Malawi*

172

Rank in HDI

Human Development Index (HDI), 193 countries (ranks may be shared by multiple countries)


21,66

Million

Total population (2024)


55,6%

Percentage of people living in households with severe food insecurity (2023)


*Source: BMZ, as of November 2025


75,4%

Percentage of people living in extreme poverty (2019)



Development needs Malawi


Malawi is a country with great development needs – and therefore a region where we can make a real difference with our commitment to education, health promotion, food security and environmental protection.

High demand - great potential impact

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world – for example, that's what it's called: “Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world despite making significant economic and structural reforms to sustain economic growth.” More than 80% of the population is employed in agriculture – and is therefore highly vulnerable to external shocks (e.g., climate variability). (Source: World Bank)

The national target and framework structure is in line with ours.

With its long-term development vision (“Malawi Vision 2063 – An inclusive, wealthy and self-reliant nation”), Malawi has set clear priorities, including human capital (education, health), food security, sustainable agriculture, and environmental management. This focus corresponds directly with the thematic priorities of our association.

Willingness to undergo training and promote health are present

The data shows:

In Malawi, education and health are already recognized as development priorities – for example, through relatively high spending in relation to income and a focus on human capital. The latest survey on life expectancy and healthcare expenditure is available, for instance.

Agriculture and food security offer leverage

The vast majority of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood – this offers significant leverage for targeted measures, such as sustainable farming methods, school meal programs, and environmental innovations. At the same time, climate risks and infrastructural weaknesses make these areas particularly urgent.

(Source: World Bank)

Compliance with funding and transparency requirements

Our organization adheres to the guidelines of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), international standards (e.g., the Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs), and the Malawi 2063 framework strategy. This alignment ensures that our project work is professional, transparent and in line with national priorities.

Summary:


Malawi combines high levels of need with a clear national development agenda and strong leverage - particularly in our core thematic areas—making it a perfect fit for our commitment to professionalism and transparency.

That's why Malawi is the relevant country for our association 4LIFE e.V., an ideal place for our engagement.