Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) hasstressed that the right strategies, including investment in irrigation can help address the country’s perennial hunger by producing enough food for national consumption and export.
Dodma commissioner for disaster management affairs Charles Kalemba told the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture in Lilongwe on Friday that there is need for soul-searching on why food insecurity is increasing every year.
Citing the example of Ukraine, he said some countries that are at war are able to feed themselves while Malawi, a peaceful country, cannot do the same.
Said Kalemba: “There is need for a serious discussion on ending hunger in this country, and every stakeholder should be involved including Parliament, professionals and communities.
“Ukraine has been at war for three years and yet Ukraine has donated maize to us. Does that make sense? No it doesn’t. Therefore, we need to relook at ourselves as a country on what is it that we are doing amiss and reverse this trend and become food-secure again.”
His reference to Ukraine was premised on the donation of maize to Malawi Government last week.
Giving an update on relief food distribution, Kalemba said Dodma has made progress in the distribution of relief food as it is now reaching beneficiaries under the three months category.
“Dodma has also secured resources covering January and February,” said Kalemba.
Committee vice-chairperson Ulemu Chilapondwa agreed with Kalemba that there is need to promote irrigation farming if the country is to be food-secure.
He said the country needs to invest more in irrigation farming as a solution to ending hunger.
“As a country, for us to become food-secure, we have to make our people work hard. We need to promote irrigation other than waiting for rains,” said Chilapondwa.
He further commended Dodma for moving with speed to support people that are food-insecure.
This year, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) estimated that 5.7 million people would be food-insecure and need support during the lean season which starts from October to March.
The total food requirement was estimated to be 261 574 metric tonnes, which translates to K278 billion. However, the K278 billion does not include associated costs such as transport, packaging, beneficiary registration and distribution.
