UN agency strained as more refugees need assistance
World Food Programme (WFP) says it is strained to provide adequate support to refugees in the country following the rise in food prices which has subsequently eroded the limited purchasing power of the refugees.
In a statement made available to The Nation, WFP country director Paul Turnbull said the agency has since 2021 switched from in-kind food assistance to cash transfers to give beneficiaries enough choice and independence.
The agency gives out K7 500 per person per month at Dzaleka Refuge Camp in Dowa District to cater for 10 kilogramme (kg) of maize, 1kg of pulses and 1 litre of cooking oil based on the average of current and projected prices of the commodities within and outside the camp markets.
“While the value is adjusted based on market prices, WFP has been providing reduced assistance at 75 percent of daily caloric needs due to limited resources. As of today, WFP only has sufficient resources to provide food assistance to refugees until February 2023,” he said.
Turnbull described the situation as alarming, adding that as the 2022/2023 lean period approaches, prices will likely shoot up further.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees indicates that by December 2021, Malawi hosted 52 678 refugees the majority of whom lives in Dzaleka Refuge Camp in Dowa.
