Subsistence farming remains weak—NSO

Findings of the National Census of Agriculture show that the agriculture sector remains largely subsistence with 86.1 percent of farming households producing mainly for their own consumption rather than commercial. The report shows that only 1.6 percent of agricultural households engage in commercial farming, underscoring the structural challenge facing efforts to transform the sector into a more productive and market-driven engine of economic growth. Produced by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the census further notes that the continued dominance of smallholder farmin, indicating that Malawi has about 2.67 million smallholder agricultural households, with an average farm holding size of 0.9 hectares.

The census found that maize remains the dominant crop, cultivated by 94.6 percent of households while other crops such as groundnuts, pigeon peas and soya beans are grown by significantly smaller shares of farmers. The census also exposes severe structural constraints in irrigation and farm technology, with only 2.2 percent of Malawi’s cultivated land or 69 469 hectares (ha) out of more than 3.5 million ha, is irrigated, leaving the vast majority of farmers dependent on rainfall. Speaking during the launch in Lilongwe on Monday, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Roza Mbilizi said the census has come at a critical time as government is reviewing the performance of key sectors and seeks to strengthen agricultural productivity.

“This census is not just a statistical exercise; it is a national commitment to secure food security, enhance productivity and uplift the livelihoods of our people,” she said. World Bank country manager Firas Raad, who spoke during the launch, said the census fills a critical information gap that had left policymakers operating without updated nationally representative data for nearly two decades. “The census is not simply about the release of a report.

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It represents the culmination of years of meticulous work and an important step forward in strengthening the evidence base for policymaking in Malawi’s agricultural sector,” he said. Food and Agriculture Organisation country manager Ali Said Yusef said the report has provided important insights for designing and monitoring agricultural policies and food security interventions. NSO commissioner of statistics Shelton Kanyanda said reliable data is essential for transforming Malawi’s agriculture sector and ensuring that policy decisions are grounded in evidence. He said the data will support government, researchers and development partners in designing targeted interventions to improve productivity in the agriculture sector

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