By Khumbo Msambala Salanje

Lilongwe, June 25, MANA: Findings from the Sixth Integrated Household Survey (IHS6) appear to support the improvements in social welfare highlighted by President Professor Peter Arthur Muntharika in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), particularly in education, housing quality and access to improved water sources.

However, President of the Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA) and Senior Lecturer in Macroeconomics at the University of Malawi, Bertha Bangara Chikadza, has cautioned that while the gains point to progress in living standards, they do not necessarily mean poverty has been significantly reduced across the country.

“The improvements recorded in education, housing quality and access to improved water sources are positive indicators of progress in household welfare and poverty reduction. However, poverty is multidimensional and cannot be assessed solely through gains in education, housing and water access,” said Chikadza.

Her observations come as the IHS6 findings lend statistical support to some of the gains highlighted in the SONA, including government efforts to expand access to social services and improve the welfare of Malawians.

She noted that poverty also encompasses food security, healthcare access, nutrition, energy availability and overall economic resilience.

According to the survey, only 11.4 percent of households were classified as highly food secure, while substantial proportions reported inadequacies in food, healthcare and housing.

“While the improvements in education and access to improved water sources are encouraging, they do not necessarily translate into poverty reduction in Malawi.

These gains provide an encouraging foundation upon which further economic growth and social development can be built,” she said.

According to Chikadza, the findings suggest Malawi’s living standards are moving in a positive direction, particularly regarding access to basic infrastructure and social services, reflecting investments made by government and development partners over time.

At the same time, she said the survey shows that improvements in social indicators have yet to translate into widespread household economic security.

Chikadza pointed to survey findings showing that although loan approval rates improved to 86.1 percent, about 55 percent of loans obtained by households are used for consumption rather than productive investments capable of generating sustainable income.

“This suggests that access to credit is not yet being sufficiently directed towards productive investments that can generate sustainable income and strengthen household economic resilience,” she said.

She acknowledged that better access to education could improve future earning opportunities, while access to improved water sources could reduce disease burden and improve health outcomes.

Nevertheless, she said broader macroeconomic challenges continue to limit the extent to which these welfare gains are being felt in the daily lives of ordinary Malawians.

With 65 percent of households classified as having very low food security and more than half reporting inadequate access to healthcare, Chikadza said many families remain vulnerable despite the positive developments captured by the survey.

She said sustained improvements in welfare will require continued investment in social services alongside stronger economic growth, job creation, increased agricultural productivity and policies that improve household purchasing power.