Malawi’s Cattle Farmers Travel Farther as Drought Tightens Its Grip on Rural Livelihoods

MULANJE, Malawi — For some cattle farmers in southern Malawi, the working day now begins with a long search for grass. As nearby fodder becomes harder to find, farmers and hired workers are travelling to river areas, cutting reeds and Napier grass, and carrying the bundles back to their animals. What was once a routine farm task is becoming a costly daily operation.

Al Jazeera reported on November 1 that farmer Lawrence Abison and three friends travelled about 27 kilometres to the Likhubula River in Mulanje district to collect fodder. After two hours of cutting, the group had gathered enough feed for 10 cattle for one day. The report describes other farmers making similar journeys as the shortage pushes up the time and money required to keep livestock healthy.

The immediate problem is feed availability. Cattle need a reliable supply of nutritious fodder and clean water to maintain their condition and produce milk. When animals receive less feed, or receive it later than usual, milk output can fall. Farmers may then earn less from sales while spending more on transport, labour and supplementary feed such as maize bran.

A shortage that spreads through the local economy

The impact does not stop at the farm gate. Milk bulking groups collect output from individual producers, preserve it and sell it to processors. When several members experience lower production at the same time, the cooperative has less milk to handle and farmers have fewer sales. Traders, processors and households can all feel the effects.

Smallholder farmers are especially exposed because they often depend on local grazing, crop residues and seasonal vegetation. They may not have enough land to grow fodder reserves or enough cash to buy commercial feed when prices rise. A larger farm may be able to store hay, negotiate bulk purchases or access credit; a household farmer may have to reduce other spending to keep cattle fed.

Climate pressure and natural resources

El Niño can influence rainfall patterns across southern Africa, but the condition of local fodder supplies also depends on land use, soil health, riverbank vegetation and water management. Farmers interviewed in the report raised concerns about changes around river areas. Riverbank vegetation can help protect soil, reduce erosion and support water ecosystems. When it is removed or cultivated too close to waterways, the effects may increase pressure on the resource that farmers are relying on.

These pressures should not be framed as a simple conflict between farmers and conservation. Rural households need land, food and income, while healthy river systems are essential to long-term livelihoods. Solutions work best when communities help shape them and have realistic alternatives for producing fodder.

What could help farmers prepare?

Fodder banks, hay storage and silage can help farmers carry feed from periods of abundance into the dry season. Growing drought-tolerant fodder crops, conserving crop residues and improving pasture management can also reduce dependence on distant sources. These measures require training, storage space, suitable seed and access to tools or finance.

Cooperatives can coordinate feed purchases, share information about fodder availability and connect members to veterinary and agricultural extension services. Local authorities can work with communities to protect riverbanks while identifying other areas for fodder production. Seasonal forecasts are most useful when they arrive early and are translated into practical advice about planting, harvesting, stocking rates and feed conservation.

A warning beyond Mulanje

The story from Mulanje shows how a climate shock can move through a rural economy. Scarcer grass means longer journeys and higher costs; higher costs can reduce farm margins; lower feed quality can reduce milk output; and pressure on river vegetation can weaken natural systems. The response therefore needs to combine immediate support for livestock keepers with longer-term investment in water management, storage, extension services and resilient farming.

For farmers, the priority is to keep animals healthy through the current shortage. For policymakers and development partners, the task is to help rural communities prepare before the next difficult season arrives. Climate resilience is not only about surviving drought. It is about protecting the income, food supply and natural resources that make rural life viable.

Reporting note: The farmer accounts and journey details are attributed to Al Jazeera’s November 1, 2026 report. The article does not claim that one weather pattern alone explains all local environmental changes.

Why the journey matters for families

Time spent collecting fodder has an opportunity cost. A family member who walks for hours to find grass has less time for crop production, paid work, childcare or other household responsibilities. If farmers must hire people to make the journey, the cash cost rises at the same time as the cost of supplementary feed. These pressures can be particularly difficult for households that depend on a small number of animals for regular income.

Livestock can also function as a form of savings. Families may sell an animal to meet an unexpected expense, pay school costs or respond to a medical emergency. But when feed is scarce across a whole area, animals may be in poorer condition and buyers may offer lower prices. A farmer can therefore face the risk of selling at the wrong time or holding an animal that is becoming more expensive to maintain.

Protecting milk quality as well as volume

When feed and water are under pressure, farmers need to pay attention to animal health and milk hygiene. Clean water, appropriate feeding and timely veterinary care help reduce disease risks and protect the quality of milk supplied to collection centres. A drop in output can be damaging, but a decline in quality can also affect the price farmers receive or whether milk is accepted by a buyer.

Milk cooperatives can help by sharing guidance on animal nutrition, hygiene and disease prevention. They can also communicate changing collection schedules and help members understand what support is available. Such services are most effective when they are accessible to small producers and delivered in ways that fit the realities of rural work.

Building feed reserves before the dry season

One lesson from recurring feed shortages is that preparation needs to begin while grass is still available. Farmers can identify plots for fodder crops, conserve suitable crop residues after harvest and store hay in a dry, protected place. Silage can preserve green fodder for later use, although farmers need training to prepare it properly and avoid spoilage. Local extension officers and farmer organisations can demonstrate practical methods using materials that are available in the district.

Feed planning also involves matching herd size to the resources that can be sustained through the year. This is a difficult decision when cattle are central to family wealth and identity, but stocking rates that exceed available pasture can make every dry period more damaging. Better information about feed needs, pasture conditions and water availability can help households make decisions earlier.

Community solutions need fair access

Where several communities depend on the same river or grazing area, individual action may not be enough. Local agreements can help manage access, protect sensitive riverbanks and reduce conflict over scarce resources. Such agreements should involve farmers, traditional leaders, local authorities, water users and environmental specialists. They should also recognise the needs of poorer households that may have fewer alternatives.

Public programmes can support community fodder plots, demonstration farms, water harvesting and small-scale storage. Access to seed and tools matters, but so does maintenance. A communal facility that is built without a clear management plan can quickly fall into disuse. Successful projects need transparent rules, agreed responsibilities and a way for members to resolve disputes.

What governments and partners can monitor

Authorities and development organisations can track more than rainfall. Useful indicators include the price and availability of animal feed, milk volumes delivered to cooperatives, livestock body condition, water access, pasture conditions and the number of households seeking veterinary support. Combining this information can help identify areas where a feed shortage is becoming a wider livelihood emergency.

Support should be targeted carefully. Emergency feed assistance may help protect productive animals during a severe shortage, while longer-term investment should focus on fodder production, extension services, water management and market access. Programmes should publish clear eligibility rules so that support reaches vulnerable farmers and does not unfairly favour larger producers.

The long view

Malawi's experience is part of a wider challenge facing livestock keepers in climate-sensitive regions. Drought and irregular rainfall can affect pasture, water, animal health and household finances at the same time. The most resilient communities will be those able to combine local knowledge with useful forecasts, practical feed conservation, healthy ecosystems and access to markets and finance.

For the farmers of Mulanje, the immediate task remains finding enough feed for the next day. Their experience should also prompt a longer conversation about how rural economies prepare for climate variability. A reliable fodder supply is not a minor agricultural detail; it supports milk, income, nutrition and the ability of families to remain productive through difficult seasons.