Agricultural weather risks in Malawi and Zimbabwe

Agricultural authorities in Malawi and Zimbabwe have issued warnings regarding the 2026/27 growing season due to unfavorable weather forecasts. In Malawi, officials warned farmers in regions such as Blantyre, Machinga, and Ntcheu that premature maize planting carries a high risk of failure due to heat and anticipated dry spells. The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services projected the rainy season would begin between the second week of November and December.

In Zimbabwe, Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka advised farmers in the Matabeleland region to plant drought-resilient traditional grains like sorghum and millet to mitigate potential moisture stress. The government aimed to support three million rural beneficiaries through the Presidential Input Scheme to bolster food security.

Subsequent forecasts indicated scattered thunderstorms and localized heavy downpours for parts of Zimbabwe, including Matabeleland North and Mashonaland, though temperatures in areas like Victoria Falls remained near 40°C. In Malawi, the Zomba District was expected to experience a short rainy season of approximately 100 to 110 days, with rainfall starting in the second week of December and concluding by late March, interspersed with dry spells in January and February.