Malnutrition, household income and food security in rural Malawi

Abstract

Despite gains made in national maize production and surplus crops Malawi has faced shortages even during years of good harvest as evidenced by widespread household food insecurity child malnutrition and mortality. In 1977 nationally about 1/3 of all children died before the age of 5. Infant mortality rates ranged from a low of 137/1000 live births to a high of 233/1000. Agricultural production has benefitted only those farmers with land and resources. A conceptual framework examined this problem at the level of the individual child at the household level and the national level. The immediate causes of child malnutrition were identified as feeding patterns (very low calorie intake results in stunted growth) child disease (debilitating disease like malaria rose over 300% from 1980 to 1988 among children under 1 year old) and child care practices (70% of women are full-time farmers with little time for food preparation). Maternal nutritional status is poor thus nearly 20% of children are born with low birth weight. Seasonality affects food supply and nutrition as 35% of children may be underweight in the pre-harvest period. The underlying causes of household food insecurity are: small landholdings (during 1980-81 37% of households cultivated less than 0.7 hectare) low soil fertility low income levels and limited employment and labor constraints in agricultural production. The basic causes of poor household and nutritional security are: agricultural resource base and environmental factors limited external aid rapid population growth (at 3.2% per year) the national economy and the governing policies and the international economic order. Various macroeconomic policy initiatives could have a significant impact on these small plots e.g. active promotion of hybrid maize increased producer prices and liberalization of maize marketing. Policy options that could increase food security constitute more focus on women in agricultural development agricultural research immediate income transfer programs high value cash crops nonfarm income labor-saving devices and nutrition education.