Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. According to the World Bank, approximately 70% of the population lives below the international poverty line of USD 1.90 per day. The Malawian population is heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, which makes it vulnerable to climatic shocks, as evidenced by increasing food insecurity due to droughts. The country also faces anticipated risks such as floods, prolonged dry spells, epidemics, pest infestations, and earthquakes.
The humanitarian context in Malawi has demonstrated the importance of having access to reliable and timely data. There is also equal importance for collaborating to collect, use, and share these data to prepare and implement an effective humanitarian response. The humanitarian sector faces the challenge of non-operational data platforms, resulting in a fragmented approach to data collection, management and dissemination.