Dietary composition by country in Malawi

Malawi: Dietary composition by country was 0.87 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
0.87 kilocalories per day per capita
Change on year
down 34.6%
World rank
164th
of 191 countries
All-time high
2.23 kilocalories per day per capita
in 2021
All-time low
0 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Dietary composition by country in Malawi, 1961–2023

00.511.52196119922023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilocalories per day per capita.

Analysis

The most recent figure for dietary composition by country in Malawi is 0.87 kilocalories per day per capita, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of down 34.6% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, dietary composition by country in Malawi peaked at 2.23 kilocalories per day per capita in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0 kilocalories per day per capita, in 1961.

That places Malawi 164th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 9
1970s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
1980s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
1990s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
2000s 0.5034 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 1.01 kilocalories per day per capita 10
2010s 1.08 kilocalories per day per capita 0.93 kilocalories per day per capita 2.22 kilocalories per day per capita 10
2020s 1.57 kilocalories per day per capita 0.87 kilocalories per day per capita 2.23 kilocalories per day per capita 4

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 161 Belgium 1.1 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  2. 162 Argentina 0.9797 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  3. 163 Ethiopia 0.92 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  4. 165 United States 0.84 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  5. 166 Nepal 0.81 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  6. 167 Hungary 0.79 kilocalories per day per capita compare

See the full ranking of 191 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is dietary composition by country in Malawi?
Dietary composition by country in Malawi was 0.87 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest dietary composition by country recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 2.23 kilocalories per day per capita in 2021.
What is the lowest dietary composition by country recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 0 kilocalories per day per capita in 1961.
How does Malawi rank for dietary composition by country?
Malawi ranks 164th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
Is dietary composition by country rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Dietary composition by country. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Dietary composition by country
Unit
kilocalories per day per capita
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
191 places, 10,034 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Quantity that is available for consumption at the end of the supply chain. It does not account for consumer waste, so the quantity that is actually consumed may be lower.