Malawi Second Integrated Household Survey 2004-2005

In 1997-98, Malawi conducted the first Integrated Household Survey (IHS-1). The survey was designed by the National Statistics Office (NSO) of Malawi with technical assistance from IFPRI and the World Bank. It was carried out from November 1997 through October 1998 in both urban and rural areas in all regions of the country. The purpose of the study was to provide a complete and integrated data set to better understand target groups of households affected by poverty. In addition, the IHS-1 would serve a much broader set of applications on policy issues regarding households' behavior and welfare, distribution of income, employment, health and education.

In 2003, the Government of Malawi decided to conduct the second IHS (IHS-2) in order to compare the current situation with the situation in 1997-98, and to collect more detailed information in specific areas.

The purpose of this document is to provide documentation of the IHS-2. The report is organised in six sections:

• A detailed outline of the questionnaires used in the administration of the survey.
• Information on the sample design used.
• Descriptions of the pilot testing of the questionnaires and the organisation of fieldwork for the actual survey.
• Explanation on how the data are organized
• Explanation on the methodology used to construct the consumption aggregate.