The African Development Bank (AfDB) has given Malawi $1 million (about K1.7 billion) to support emergency food relief following the signing of a financing agreement with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation. The AfDB gesture comes amid rising food insecurity, tight fiscal space and climate-related shocks, with the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report showing that about four million people require food assistance during the 2025-26 lean season. In his remarks, AfDB country director MacMillan Anyawu said while the amount was modest, its importance lay in its timing given Malawi’s current macroeconomic challenges. “This is a small amount of money, but it is coming at a very auspicious time when Malawi is facing unprecedented macroeconomic challenges and a tight fiscal position,” he said. The AfDB support builds on a long-standing partnership between Malawi and the bank, which has previously provided assistance during crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Freddy and El Niño-related shocks.