The State of Food Insecurity in Blantyre City, Malawi

The AFSUN survey on the state of food insecurity in Blantyre was carried out as part of a broader AFSUN baseline survey of 11 SADC cities using a standardized methodology and survey instrument. Blantyre City’s residential areas are of three main types. The first com- prises planned low-density housing where high-income residents live. In these areas, although plots are large enough for urban agriculture, most residents do not prioritise their own food production. The second are planned high-density areas. These are mainly inhabited by low-income residents and the plots are generally small, making urban agriculture difficult. The third type consists of previously traditional areas that have been turned into plotted areas but have land to spare, either on the plot or just outside the area. These areas are generally inhabited by low-income earn- ers as well as some higher-income residents who buy land there to build their own houses. They are also where much of Blantyre’s urban agricul- ture takes place.