World Food Programme (WFP) has started distributing emergency food assistance to food insecure Malawians affected by the El Niño-induced weather shocks that resulted in reduced harvest.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the launch in Chikwawa yesterday, WFP country representative Paul Turnbull said they target to reach out to 2.1 million people with food by December in the $39 million (about K70 billion) initiative.
“However, current funding allows us to assist only 1.5 million. But I’m optimistic about us meeting the target.
exercise in Chikwawa
“Now, more than ever, it’s critical that we join forces to tackle these escalating risks and ensure that vulnerable communities are not left behind but equipped with the support they need to endure and recover,” he said.
The WFP and partners’ exercise complements the Malawi Government’s Lean Season Food Insecurity Response.
Turnbull said due to the worsening situation, the emergency support distribution in Chikwawa was moved from November to October.
Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) commissioner for disaster management Charles Kalemba said the number of people in need of food will likely increase this year.
“The exact figures will be available after the next Mvac [Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee] report,” he said.
Kalemba noted that the number of people affected by disasters has been steadily rising from 1.8 million four years ago to 5.7 million this year, according to Mvac.
He urged the need for more sustainable approaches to disaster response, including supporting people with irrigation systems to improve food production.
“By providing irrigation systems, affected communities can grow food crops twice during the dry season, reducing their reliance on rain-fed agriculture,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the development partners, Norwegian Embassy head of cooperation Siri Frette Allsted said they are committed to continue supporting Malawi with more sustainable approaches.
“While we typically do not provide short-term humanitarian aid in Malawi, the current situation has compelled us to do so. We believe that long-term solutions are key to preventing such crises in the future,” she said.
The relief food distribution exercising was attended by representatives from the donor community, WFP and Dodma, among others.
In its June 2024 report, Mvac projected that 5.7 million people would require food assistance during the lean season from October this year to next March.
