National Multisector Nutrition Policy (NMNP) 2025 - 2030.

The National Multisector Nutrition Policy (NMNP) 2025–2030 provides the overarching framework for Malawi’s nutrition response and will be implemented through the National Multisector Nutrition Strategy (NMNS) for the same period. It builds on progress from the 2018–2022 policy while addressing remaining challenges and emerging priorities, with the overarching goal of ensuring a well-nourished and healthy population that contributes to national wealth and self-reliance. The policy translates global, regional, and national commitments - including the SDGs and MW2063 - into coordinated action, positioning nutrition as a key driver of poverty reduction and human capital development. The NMNP guides government institutions, local councils, development partners, civil society, faith-based organizations, and the private sector in aligning interventions with national priorities, generating evidence for programming, and adapting to emerging global issues such as climate-smart nutrition, food systems transformation, nutrition-sensitive social protection, and relevant international and regional frameworks. It adopts a multisectoral approach to address the complex and interlinked nature of malnutrition, recognizing that no single sector can respond effectively in isolation. Ihe NMNP has the following 6 priority areas, which were identified based on local evidence and global emerging issues to which the country is a party are (1) Prevention of malnutrition; (2) Nutrition and sustainable food systems; (3) Social behavioural change; (4) Treatment and management of common nutrition disorders; (5) Nutrition during emergencies and climate change; (6) Creating an enabling environment for nutrition. The expected outcomes are reduced prevalence of malnutrition, decreased morbidity and mortality associated with malnutrition, and a strengthened enabling environment for effective multisectoral nutrition programming.
The strategies organized across the 6 key Policy Priority Areas (PPAs) to achieve optimal nutrition and human capital development are (1) focuses on scaling up life-cycle nutrition interventions, particularly during the first 1,000 days and adolescence. It promotes optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding, micronutrient supplementation and food fortification, and the integration of WASH and School Health and Nutrition programmes to prevent undernutrition and break intergenerational cycles; (2) supports a food systems transformation approach aimed at improving diets and livelihoods. It emphasizes strengthening agricultural value chains from production to consumption, enhancing links with cooperatives and community structures, and promoting diversified food production to reduce dependence on maize; (3) seeks to improve nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices through strategic communication and advocacy. It promotes diversified diets across all food groups and addresses harmful cultural norms and food taboos through community engagement and leadership-driven messaging; (4) focuses on reducing morbidity and mortality associated with malnutrition and related conditions. It strengthens early detection and management of acute malnutrition, including wasting, while also addressing overnutrition, obesity, and emerging nutrition-related non-communicable diseases through integrated community and clinical services; (5) enhances resilience to shocks by integrating nutrition into disaster risk management and climate adaptation. It ensures timely access to essential nutrition services and safe foods during crises such as droughts, floods, and pandemics; (6) aims to improve governance and coordination by operationalizing the “Five Ones” principles: one policy, one strategic plan, one coordination structure, one monitoring and evaluation framework, and one SBC strategy. It strengthens multisectoral coordination, promotes dedicated financing mechanisms, and enhances partnerships with the private sector to improve accountability and resource efficiency.