Ukraine gives Malawi 19 200MT maize
The Government of Ukraine has donated 19 200 metric tonnes (MT) of maize to help Malawi feed 900 000 of the 5.7 million people requiring food aid due to low harvest.
Information from several Ukranian online publications, which Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has corroborated, shows that Ukraine will deliver 3 848MT maize to Mozambique and 19 200MT to Malawi.
According to Ukraine online publication Ukrainska Pravda, that country’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy stated that the consignment will first head to Mozambique by sea and then be transported to Malawi by land.
Reads the report: “After the delivery, maize, along with other products, will be used by the World Food Programme [WFP] for distribution among socially vulnerable categories of local population.
“Ukrainian maize will allow the WFP to support about 200 000 people in Mozambique and 900 000 people in Malawi with food during three months.”
The publication said the delivery was made possible by contributions of Sweden, the Netherlands, France, South Korea and Portugal.
Commenting on the donation, Kawale said it was part of the response to Malawi Government appeals to several foreign partners for help.
He said: “Recently, President Lazarus Chakwera reached out to the world with a request to help Malawians with food aid due to climate change effects, El Niño being the latest one.
“We are pleased to see countries and organisations responding positively to this request. The donation from Ukraine is greatly appreciated. It was estimated to arrive at the end of August, depending on port activities.”
In March this year, the President declared a State of Disaster in 23 out of the country’s 28 districts due to inadequate rains and prolonged dry spells that damaged crops.
Later, Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report said the number of people in need of food aid will increase from 4.2 million to 5.7 million during the lean period from October this year.
The 2024 maize production of 2.9 million MT was 17 percent less than last season’s 3.5 million MT.
