An Early Assessment of the Impact of Covid-19 in Malawi

• Closely monitoring food prices could be an early warning system for economic impacts. • Food price spikes could have several causes related to COVID-19, so the drivers will need to be investigated to find the best way to minimize negative impacts on welfare. • Social safety nets for those suffering from spread mitigation measures could improve compliance. • All facets of agricultural value chains are affected. However, the impacts on transportation, especially for inputs, could be the most detrimental to the economy if the pandemic persists. • The most effective economic strategy will likely be containing the spread of the disease. • Current monitoring may not be capturing the true scope of the spread and impact of COVID-19