Govt allays food insecurity fears

Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has asked Malawians not to panic amid food insecurity fears following the scarcity of maize in some parts of the country due to poor harvest as government will provide the grain.

In an interview last week, he said his ministry is in the process of compiling third round crop production estimates which will provide the exact production figures leading into compilation of the national food balance sheet.

Kawale said: “The national food balance sheet will provide a better picture of the food security situation at national level.

“Let me reiterate that even when the picture at national level is established, the general public should know that there will be some hotspot areas which will still be food-insecure.”

Kawale said such hotspots will be assisted by the government through humanitarian assistance and price stabilisation depending on severity.

In its May 2023 maize market report for Malawi issued this month, the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) states that maize is selling at an average K482 per kilogramme (kg), up from K227 per kg the corresponding period last year.

The report further states that retail prices of maize are reported high in the Southern Region at an average K482 per kg then the Northern Region at K470 per kg and the Central Region at K466 per kg.

This means farmers who are selling their maize are doing so below the government recommended minimum farm gate price of K500 per kg.

But the report indicates that the rising maize scarcity will likely lead to an escalation of prices.

Kawale said at present, the government’s headache is on unscrupulous traders who are taking advantage of farmers by offering them low prices.

He further stressed that to ensure Malawi is food-secure, the government has embarked on accumulation of grain in the Strategic Grain Reserves (SGR) with the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) already on the ground.

“On the other hand, the ministry through the Agricultural Commercialisation Project [Agcom] will also be procuring maize for the SGR using the Contingency Emergency Response Component Funds from the World Bank.

“In addition, you recall that the government got an insurance payout last year from the African Risk Capacity and part of those resources will be used to replenish the SGR,” he said.

As such, Kawale assured that the government has put in place all necessary mechanisms that will ensure the country has enough maize for humanitarian purposes in those areas where the food security situation is dire.

But in a separate interview yesterday, Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito said the government needs to ensure cushioning mechanisms are put in place to benefit Malawians.

He said the scarcity of maize in some parts of the country will likely lead to an escalation of prices which will burden Malawians amid a rise in the cost of living.

Kapito said: “Given the current situation, we expect to see prices of maize between K55 000 and K60 000 come the lean period and we wonder what cushioning mechanisms the government put in place considering that Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation [Admarc] will not buy maize.”

Admarc will this year not procure maize as the function will be undertaken by the NFRA.

Prior to Cyclone Freddy, the government indicated that there would be a surplus of 360 000 from this year’s maize production.

However, the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organisation predict that 3.8 million people will face hunger this year.n