By Mirriam Kaliza
Stakeholders in the nutrition sector have called on members of Parliament to lobby for an increased funding towards nutrition in the 2026/2027 National Budget.
The call comes after a budget analysis by the Civil Society Organisation Nutrition Alliance (CSONA) revealed that only 0.5 percent of the national budget has been allocated to nutrition this year, down from 0.6 percent last year.
CSONA National Coordinator, Joseph Gausi, says the declining trend is worrying, especially at a time when Malawi continues to face high levels of malnutrition.
According to the latest Malawi Health and Demographic Survey, 38 percent of children under five are stunted, a level considered very high by the World Health Organisation.
Nutrition expert from LUANAR, Dr. Alexander Kalimbira, says members of Parliament must use the ongoing budget session to prioritise nutrition and ensure resources are properly allocated.
He has also urged lawmakers to push for the Food and Nutrition Bill, which has remained in draft form since 2009, to finally be tabled in Parliament.
Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, HIV and Nutrition, Maureen Chirwa, has assured stakeholders that the committee will follow up on the draft bill to ensure it is presented before Parliament.
Chirwa has also supported proposals that revenue from the 20 percent excise tax on powdered drinks should be directed towards nutrition programmes at district level.
Stakeholders say increased investment in nutrition is critical to addressing stunting, obesity, and other forms of malnutrition that continue to affect the country’s development.
