.png)
African continent climate crisis causes African Malawi agricultural crisis and Korean fermented food alternatives
- Michelle Jin
- Apr 2
- 8 min read
Climate Change and Food Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa
In sub-Saharan Africa, extreme weather events such as droughts and floods due to climate change are becoming more frequent, posing serious threats to agricultural production and food security.
In particular, southern Africa, including Malawi, has been hit hard by a series of natural disasters in recent years, which has left millions of people without food.
Across Southern Africa, an estimated 68 million people have been food insecure since the mid-2020s, and in Malawi, nearly half the population, or 9 million people , are affected by climate disasters.
The agricultural crisis caused by climate change is manifesting as a large-scale food crisis across the region, and sustainable responses are urgently needed.
Cultivation cycle and staple crops in Malawi
Malawi's agriculture is mainly based on a one-crop-a-year system that relies on the rainy season . The main staple crop is maize , and most smallholder farmers sow and harvest maize according to the annual rains. Generally, they sow in November to December when the rainy season begins , and harvest in March to April of the following year. Food is relatively abundant right after the harvest, from April to June. However, after a few months of harvest, food reserves gradually deplete , and from " November to February of the following year" , just before the next rainy season, they experience a "hunger period" when food is at its shortest.
During this period, grain reserves run out, food prices are at their highest, and many families struggle to eat, skip meals, or reduce their nutrient intake. This pattern of seasonal food shortages is a challenge for Malawi farmers almost every year, and crop loss due to climate change is making this hungry season longer and more severe.
Increasing cases of extreme weather events and agricultural damage (since 2015)
A Malawi farmer holds a poorly ripened ear of corn, showing the damage caused by the severe drought. Since 2015, Malawi has been experiencing frequent agricultural disasters due to extreme weather events. The floods in early 2015, which were unusually heavy and “once in 500 years,” displaced an estimated 1.1 million people across Malawi and wiped out farmland and stored food, leading to the worst food crisis in the country.
This was followed by the 2015/16 drought, which led to a massive food crisis when corn crops failed, leaving more than 6.5 million people without food .
This led the Malawian government to declare a state of emergency in April 2016, and the damage was so severe that more than half of the country's recovery budget was earmarked for food security alone.
In 2019, Tropical Cyclone Idai caused massive flooding in southern Malawi as well as Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The cyclone killed hundreds of people and displaced more than 600,000 people, making it the worst disaster in southern Africa in a decade.
In Malawi, heavy rains just before harvest time led to a significant decline in the expected maize crop, causing many areas to experience difficulties in self-sufficiency.
Since then, Malawi has been hit by a series of disasters, including the floods caused by Cyclone Ana in early 2022 and the record-breaking storms caused by Cyclone Freddy in 2023. In particular, Cyclone Freddy in March 2023 caused a disaster in 14 districts in Malawi, displacing more than 500,000 people and causing more than 500 deaths.
In addition to the destruction of infrastructure, the loss of farmland, livestock and grain storage facilities have also taken a toll on rural livelihoods, exacerbating seasonal food shortages . The increasing frequency of droughts, floods and cyclones is increasing the uncertainty of Malawi’s agriculture and disrupting food production, exacerbating the risk of chronic hunger among vulnerable populations.
Preservation, Nutritional and Dietary Diversity Benefits of Korean Fermented Foods – Soy Sauce, Doenjang and Salt
In Africa, where climate change is intensifying, crop cultivation is becoming difficult, and refrigeration infrastructure is lacking, making long-term food storage a huge challenge. In this situation, traditional Korean fermented foods , especially soy sauce and doenjang , and salt, which has served as a natural preservative , can be recognized as a practical solution for food preservation and nutritional balance, beyond mere seasoning.
1) Preservative : A ‘natural preservative’ that lasts a long time even without electricity
Soy sauce and doenjang can be stored stably at room temperature for several months or even years, and maintain their quality without a separate refrigeration.
The salt used here is a natural preservative that has been used by mankind for thousands of years, preventing food spoilage and is a key element that determines the long-term storage of fermented foods .
In areas like Malawi where power supply is unstable , soy sauce, soybean paste, and salt are survival food cultural assets that can safely store food and add flavor without refrigeration.
2) Nutrition : Supplement protein and minerals with soy sauce and soybean paste instead of meat.
In Malawi, a corn-based diet is common, which is low in protein. Fermented soybean products such as soy sauce and doenjang provide vegetable protein, B vitamins, and essential amino acids without the need for meat.
Doenjang is like an 'edible supplement' , allowing you to consume minerals and beneficial bacteria at the same time, helping to improve immunity and intestinal health.
Salt also provides sodium and other trace minerals, and when consumed in adequate amounts, it is necessary for water retention and metabolic functions in the body.
3) Diet Diversity : A spoonful of soy sauce can change the quality of a meal.
No matter how simple the ingredients are, they can be transformed into a completely different dish if seasoned with soy sauce or soybean paste .
For example, corn porridge, dried vegetables, and fish from Lake Malawi can be used in a variety of ways, such as in soybean paste stew, soy sauce grilled food, and fermented pickles .
Salt is essential for preserving local ingredients and enhancing their flavor, such as pickling vegetables and fermenting fish to make salted seafood.
4) Applicability in the Malawi market
Salt + soy sauce + doenjang is a 'holy trinity' combination that can be newly incorporated into local cuisine.
Example: Pickle vegetables grown during the dry season, ferment them, and cook them with soybean paste seasoning → complete fermented side dish
Salt and dry the fish, then cook with soy sauce → enhance flavor + can be stored for a long time
If we develop a series of small packages (100g to 300g) of soy sauce/soybean paste/salt tailored to the Malawi market, it will be easy to store and transport, and anyone can easily access it.
Furthermore, we can expect a local self-reliant model that directly processes Malawi fish, beans, and vegetables using salt pickling and fermentation processing methods and produces and exports them under a local brand .
5) Conclusion: The 'Three Basic Foods' of the African Table
“Soy sauce, soybean paste, and salt” are not just simple seasonings, but three solutions for preservation, nutrition, and application that protect African tables amidst the climate crisis.
What Malawi and other African countries need is not a 'large amount of food', but a food system that can be stored and shared for a long time , is nutritious , and can be applied . Soy sauce, doenjang, and salt can be the basics. Now is the time to share the wisdom of traditional Korean fermented foods with Africa and create a new local + global food culture together.
Local applicability of Korean fermented foods (Malawi case)
In Korea, people have been securing food for all seasons by fermenting and preserving kimchi, soy sauce (doenjang, soy sauce, etc.) and salted seafood in earthenware jars since ancient times. This Korean fermented food culture and technology can be applied to responding to food crises in Africa, including Malawi. The key is to develop and utilize similar fermented foods using crops that are easy to obtain locally .
Fermentation itself is not an unfamiliar concept, as even in rural Malawi, there is a culture of drinking fermented beverages made from corn or sorghum (e.g. thobwa) . However, we can apply Korean fermentation knowledge in terms of increasing the source of nutrition by diversifying the target and method.
First, kimchi-making of local vegetables and leafy greens . In Malawi, various leafy greens (pumpkin leaves, cashew leaves, amaranth leaves, etc.) grow during the rainy season, but they are difficult to store, so vitamins become insufficient during the dry season. If these leafy greens are pickled with salt, soy sauce, and soybean paste like Korean kimchi and fermented, they can be stored for several months at room temperature and provide vitamins and minerals even during the dry season . In actual research, it was shown that lactic acid fermentation of Cucurbita leaves, such as pumpkin leaves, prevents spoilage and improves nutritional value (especially minerals such as iron) . In addition, highland farms that can grow cabbage or radishes can use them to make and store kimchi, which can be consumed by themselves as well as sold for profit.
Second, fermentation and storage of local grains and legumes . Corn, the staple food of Malawi, is dried and stored after harvest, but it is often lost due to insect damage or mold . Fermented foods such as porridge or bamboo shoots (e.g., similar to ogi, a fermented corn porridge in some regions) made with corn and stored in an acidic environment can suppress mold and increase storage life. In addition, legumes such as soybeans and peanuts, which are increasingly cultivated in Malawi, are a source of protein, and if boiled and made into fermented foods similar to soybean paste or cheonggukjang , they can become protein side dishes that can be stored for a long time . For example, if boiled soybeans are fermented and made into soybean paste, it can be used as a valuable protein and mineral supply food during times when meat and fish are scarce. There are cases where traditional Korean soybean paste fermentation methods (such as fermenting meju) were applied to make fermented pastes with local soybeans, and although the taste is different , they are nutritionally excellent and have the advantage of being stored for a long time .
Third, fermentation preservation of fish, etc. Malawi has an abundance of fresh water, including Lake Malawi, so there is a large catch of small fish , but due to the lack of refrigeration facilities, there is a problem that mold grows or rots even when dried. In this case, Korean salted fish fermentation can be applied. If small fish are salted and fermented in an airtight container, it becomes fermented fish meat rich in protein and fat, which can be preserved for a long time and used as a seasoning and side dish. Although salt consumption needs to be controlled due to the increased use of salt, salted fish provides a strong savory taste and saltiness even in small quantities, helping to stimulate the appetite and supplement nutrition . In this way, fermented foods utilizing local crops and aquatic resources can be a cost-effective means of storing food and supplementing nutrition .
Conclusion: Towards a Sustainable Food System
In the midst of climate change-induced food crises in sub-Saharan Africa, including Malawi, Korea’s fermented food tradition has significant implications. Fermented foods are not simply stored foods, but are a nutrient preservation warehouse and a key to food culture diversity , which can enhance resilience against climate shocks. Of course, fermented foods alone cannot solve the fundamental food shortage problem, and structural measures such as expanding irrigation facilities and developing climate-adapted varieties are necessary in parallel . However, if we support local residents to make and store fermented foods using local ingredients , we will be able to achieve a practical effect of alleviating hunger during famines and reducing nutritional deficiencies.
The international community, including Korea, should pay attention to these wise traditional food preservation methods and strengthen technical exchanges and support to help build sustainable food systems in regions vulnerable to climate crises.
#Malawi agriculture #climate change response #sustainable development #food security #poverty eradication #international development cooperation #corn cultivation #dry fermentation #agricultural product distribution #local crop utilization #K-food overseas expansion #Korean food export #kitchen equipment export #agricultural equipment export #Africa expansion strategy
Comments