India, Jan. 12 -- Erratic weather patterns as well as job losses due to COVID-19 major factors behind shortages

Some 2.64 million people in the southern African country of Malawi will face an 'acute food shortage' between this month and March, a new analysis has said.

The analysis, carried out by multi-partner initiative Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, was released earlier this month. It cited erratic weather conditions as well as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the reasons for the projected food insecurity.

Two million of the total 2.64 million people facing high acute food insecurity are in the rural areas of Malawi, while 610,000 are in the country's four largest cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zom...