PASHFARM

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Improving Nutritious Food Access through Subsidies and Safety Nets: Evidence from Malawi’s Low-Income Households
(AERC, 2025) Chilora, Lemekezani K.; Salonga, Dinah T.; Chiwaula, Levison; Kalumikiza, Zione
Malnutrition continues to pose a threat to global development, with a stunting rate of 22% in 2020 (WHO, 2021). Approximately 20% of the population in Africa faces hunger, and sub- Saharan Africa alone accounts for 40% of the global prevalence of hunger and malnutrition (FAO, 2022; FAO et al., 2020). Malawi recorded a 35% level of stunting in 2023, which is very high according to the WHO benchmark of reducing malnutrition to below 20% (WHO, 2010). Inadequate dietary intake and diseases are immediate factors that exacerbate malnutrition, in addition to poor socioeconomic status, household food insecurity, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to healthcare. Moreover, socioeconomic factors such as low household income and education level contribute to malnutrition. These factors impact purchasing power and access to nutritious foods, as well as the knowledge required to make healthy food choices, leading to a lower intake of nutrient-dense foods (Katoch, 2022).