The soaring cost of maize, Malawi’s staple food, has turned nsima—a traditional dish—into a luxury affordable only by the wealthy. With the price of a single bag of maize reaching an unprecedented MK 65,000, many Malawians are struggling to put food on the table.

The crisis comes as most Malawians earn a minimum wage of MK 90,000 per month, making it nearly impossible to purchase even one bag of maize without sacrificing other essential needs like housing, education, and healthcare. In rural areas, where families rely heavily on maize for sustenance, the situation is dire, with many forced to cut down on meals or resort to alternative, less nutritious food sources.

The skyrocketing prices have been attributed to a combination of factors, including poor harvests due to erratic weather, high transportation costs, and speculative trading in local markets. Meanwhile, government interventions such as subsidies and price controls have so far failed to alleviate the burden on ordinary citizens.

The crisis has sparked widespread outrage, with citizens calling on the government to take urgent action. For many, nsima, once a symbol of unity and tradition, now painfully underscores the growing inequality and economic struggles faced by the majority of Malawians.