WFP to buy 48000mt maize for Malawi
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has committed to buy 48 000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize for insecure communities affected by El Niño-induced drought.
WFP Southern Africa regional director Eric Perdison said this in Lilongwe yesterday at a meeting with the Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs Charles Kalemba held to discuss the details of the agreement and reaffirm their shared commitment to addressing Malawi’s urgent food needs.
He said the maize, worth $50 million (about K88 billion), will be funded by the World Bank, adding that WFP is focused on ensuring that critical resources reach the people who need them most.

on. | Courtesy of WFP/Dodma
Said Perdison: “This collaboration shows the strength of partnerships in tackling the challenges caused by climate-related crises.”
On his part, World Bank country manager in Malawi Firas Raad said the funding has been drawn from the Crisis Emergency Response Component (CERC) of the Food Systems Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa-Phase 3, a World Bank Group programme that helps countries quickly access resources during emergencies.
“The World Bank mobilised $50 million earlier this year to help Malawi address the impact of the recent El Niño-induced drought in the country. We hope this financing will provide greater food security to vulnerable households, and we are proud of our close collaboration with WFP,” he said.
In his remarks, Kalemba said the support will complement Malawi Government’s efforts in providing relief assistance to food-insecure households.
“The gesture reflects the strong commitment of the government and its partners in alleviating hunger and improving food security as per the call made by the State President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera when he declared State of Disaster early last year,” said the commissioner.
Under the agreement, WFP will procure and transport the grain from Tanzania to Malawi to fill some of the food deficit caused by the El Niño drought.
Government will distribute the food to approximately 954 000 households until the next harvest between April and July.
Malawi is currently facing acute food insecurity challenges, with 5.7 million people rendered food insecure following the El Niño-induced drought which negatively affected 44 percent of crops. WFP is collaborating closely with the Government of Malawi to address this emergency.
Beyond this agreement, WFP is supporting over 2 million people with food assistance, including malnutrition treatment and school meals. WFP also provides logistical support to help government transport maize to distribution points across Malawi.