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NFRA faces 67 000MT maize deficit

National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) says it has only managed to source about 23 000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize against a demand estimated at 90 000MT.

The situation means the agency is facing a 67 000MT deficit at a time when about 20 percent of the population or 3.8 million people are in need of food aid from November to March 2023.

In an interview yesterday, NFRA chief executive officer Brenda Kayongo said as of last Thursday, they had only procured 23 000 MT which leaves a deficit of about 27 000MT from the targeted purchase and almost 67 000MT from the required tonnage to feed the hungry.

Kayongo: Initial target was 50 000MT

She said: “The initial targets were to procure about 50 000 metric tonnes at government farm gate price of K220 per kilogramme [kg]. The agency is currently buying the maize at K300 per kg and hence the target of about 38 000MT.”

In the 2022/23 financial year, NFRA was allocated K12 billion for procurement of maize meant for humanitarian support.

With this fund, the agency planned to buy 50 000MT which has reduced to 38 000MT due to price fluctuations.

Last Thursday, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) unveiled the 2022/23 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme.

Dodma said to cover the affected population for five months they will distribute maize from the Strategic Grain Reserves estimated at 90 000MT.

Agriculture policy analyst Tamani Nkhono-Mvula expressed doubt that NFRA alone will be able to meet the demand, saying the gap is too huge.

He said apart from banking hope on donors such as World Food Programme there is need for institutions such as Admarc to come in.

Mvula also predicted similar hurdles next year due to challenges affecting implementation of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).

In the 2021/22 fiscal year, government allocated K109 billion to AIP targeting 3.7 million households.

The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report said  3.8 million people, which is about 20 percent of the country’s population,  located in 27 of the country’s 28 districts will be food insecure between November and March and will need food aid.

National Statistical Office data says a typical household in Malawi has an average of 4.4 persons  meaning with AIP in place   at the end of the season, at least 16 million Malawians are expected to be food secure.

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