The World Food Programme (WFP) has rolled out an emergency food assistance programme in Malawi to combat the effects of the El Niño-induced drought.
The effort, part of Malawi’s National Response Plan, is supported by nearly USD 39 million, or slightly over K67 billion, raised through international donor contributions to address food shortages in areas affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
WFP Malawi Country Director, Paul Turnbull, emphasised the severity of the situation, noting that 44 percent of the country’s crops were destroyed by Cyclone Freddy.
“Malawi is facing a severe food crisis, with 5.7 million people struggling with hunger. The drought, particularly during the critical crop-growing period in February, worsened food insecurity across the country,” said Turnbull.
The emergency relief effort is a collaborative undertaking between WFP, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), and several international donors, including the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom. WFP has secured 33,000 metric tonnes of maize and 317 metric tonnes of Super Cereal Plus, a nutritional supplement aimed at children under the age of two. Over the next two months, this aid will reach over 1.5 million people in the hardest-hit areas.
Commissioner of DoDMA, Charles Kalemba, expressed his appreciation for the international support.
“The Government of Malawi remains committed to ensuring that those most affected by the drought are assisted. We are incredibly grateful to our partners for their unwavering support during this critical time,” said Kalemba.
In her remarks, Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Siri Frette Allsted, speaking on behalf of the donor community, stressed the importance of coordinated efforts in the exercise.
“The drought has devastated Malawi, where 80 percent of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihoods. The international community is standing with the people of Malawi, ensuring food aid reaches those in need. The WFP’s Response Plan, in collaboration with the government, is providing essential assistance like maize, cash, and malnutrition treatment,” said Allsted.
Despite the success of the food distributions, WFP still faces a significant funding gap. Turnbull highlighted the need for additional resources, saying, “We are still USD 60 million short, and this could hinder our ability to continue delivering aid throughout the lean season. We need sustained donor support to prevent the situation from worsening.”
With Malawi experiencing one of its most severe crises in recent history, WFP and its partners are committed to ensuring that relief reaches those most vulnerable.
“Our joint efforts must not only respond to the immediate crisis but also focus on resilience for the future. Together, we can make a difference,” added Allsted.
In Chikwawa, vulnerable households from six Group Village Heads under Traditional Authority Mlilima, have started receiving the relief food.
One of the beneficiaries Nellie Jason from Chadula Village recounted that prior to receiving the food aid she was struggling to provide for her household attributing her food insecurity to the impact of Cyclone Freddy and El Nino.
Commenting on the El Nino response programme, TA Mlilima requested the donor community to consider providing his subjects with solar powered irrigation equipment.
“We believe climate change is here to stay and we need to adapt. Our request is that if we could be provided with irrigation equipment which is powered by solar energy. My people are hard workers and if empowered with such necessary equipment we can be producing enough for the homestead and the market,” requested TA Mlilima.
President Dr Lazarus Chakwera announced a State of Disaster across 23 of Malawi’s 28 districts to provide emergency food aid to more than 2 million farming households affected by the El Niño weather conditions.
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