The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fewsnet) has reported that agriculture in the country is facing an oversupply of labor, which has been met with desperation, which results increasing labour costs, thereby hurting the most vulnerable Malawians who rely on ganyu for survival.

According to Fewsnet’s December 2019 to January 2020 Food Security Update, increased competition for the same opportunities is limiting access to income, as the number of people seeking labor opportunities is above average and increasing as the lean season progresses. “Furthermore, wages are now below average as a result of the increased competition.” added the report.

Last year, a Basic Needs basket (BNB) study by Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) has shown that the cost of living has gone up by 3%. The report follows a prior report by the same firm, noting that in January 2019, the cost of living increased to K194 483 in January from K190 543, contrary to various predictions of a drop in the cost of goods and services in the short to medium-term largely due to the improvements registered in the economy and the projected increase in crop.

 Back to the Fewsnet report, the Agricultural Market Information System (Amis) data collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Water Development (MoAIWD), market prices of maize grain ranged between K213 and 300 per kg in November, representing 5-20% increases over October prices in most markets.