A 2025 National Census of Agriculture (NACA) report by the National Statistical Office (NSO) has revealed that only 2.2 percent of the country’s 3.5 million hectares of cultivated land is being used for irrigation farming, raising concerns over food security and national development.
Releasing the report today in Lilongwe, NSO Commissioner of Statistics Shelton Kanyanda said out of 4.1 million smallholder farmers in the country, 97 percent are involved in crop cultivation, while the rest practice livestock farming, beekeeping and poultry farming value chains.
Kanyanda said the report has made several recommendations, including diversification of cash crop farming such as Irish and sweet potato production, and increasing output in other value chains rather than relying mainly on maize.
Minister of Agriculture Rosa Mbirizi said the report provides critical data analysis that will support policy implementation aimed at improving agricultural productivity.
World Bank Country Manager for Malawi Firas Raad said the institution, together with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other development partners, is supporting the agriculture sector to address food insecurity and unemployment while promoting economic growth.
