The article highlights the rising prices of staple foods, including maize and pulses, in Malawi as households deplete their stocks in anticipation of the 2020/2021 lean season. Urban areas and southern rural regions are experiencing the most significant price increases. The World Food Programme expects further price hikes due to the purchase programmes by the National Food Reserve Agency and the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation. The government and Food and Agricultural Organisation also report increases in maize prices in the southern region. Prices for other crops and pulses are also rising, with the World Food Programme predicting further increases during the rainy season.