“Malawi’s tropical continental climate is moderated by the effects of Lake Malawi and by the country’s high altitudes and proximity to the influence of westerly frontal systems that move eastward around the South African coast. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 500 mm in the hot, dry Rift Valley areas, where temperatures reach 35°C, to 3,000 mm in the highlands, where temperatures are moderate. Agriculture is the backbone of Malawi’s economy contributing about 30 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The major food crops are maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, rice, beans, groundnuts and various pulses, which are produced throughout Malawi.”
