Nutrition security in Malawi: navigating climate shocks, food insecurity, and malnutrition in the 2025 landscape—narrative review

Background Malawi’s nutrition security is undermined by reliance on smallholder rain-fed agriculture, recurrent climate shocks, poverty, gender inequities, weak infrastructure, and fragmented governance. Recent estimates indicate that approximately 37% of children under 5 years of age experience stunting, while projections for the 2025/2026 lean season suggest that up to 4 million people may face acute food insecurity. Methods This narrative review synthesized evidence from peer-reviewed literature and relevant institutional reports to examine the relationship between climate shocks, food insecurity, and nutrition outcomes in Malawi. Literature published from 2000 onwards was considered, with particular attention to evidence from January 2023 to November 2025 relevant to the country’s 2025 nutrition security landscape. Findings Climate shocks were associated with approximately 20% maize production losses, increased food prices, and reduced dietary diversity. Available projections suggest that under adverse climatic and socioeconomic scenarios, stunting and wasting could increase to approximately 38–40 and 12%, respectively, by 2027, particularly among vulnerable groups. Climate-smart agriculture, biofortification, and cash transfers show potential but remain constrained by limited funding and coordination challenges. Conclusion Strengthening nutrition security in Malawi requires integrated approaches linking climate adaptation, resilient food systems, nutrition interventions, and multisectoral coordination. Long-term progress will depend on sustained investment, improved implementation capacity, and policies that address the structural drivers of vulnerability.