This follows an assessment the committee carried out on annual food security  which was completed on 13 August 2021. The exercise aimed at assessing the level of vulnerability to food insecurity in the country and determine the number of people who are likely to be food insecure during the 2021/22 consumption year.

 

According to the MVAC report, the results of the assessment show that a total of 1,496,396 people, out of the projected total national population of 18,827,607 will likely not be able to meet their annual food requirement during the 2021/22 consumption period, representing about 8 percent of the projected total population. 

 

 

This represents a decrease of 43 percent compared with the corresponding figure of 2.642.336 people for the 2020/21 consumption period. 

 

 

Out of this total affected population, 1,252,277 and 186,254 people are from the rural areas and cities, respectively, while 57,915 people are from the Bomas.

 

 

The rural vulnerable population has decreased by 38 percent in the prevailing consumption year, from 2,032,106 to 1,252,277 people while the urban Vulnerable population has decreased by 69 percent from 610,429 to 186,254 people.

 

 

"The affected population is in all districts of the country. In order to protect livelihoods, the vulnerable population will require humanitarian food assistance that has been estimated at 35,296 Metric Tonnes of maize with an estimated cash value of MK7.94 billion. 

 

 

"The vulnerable population in rural areas will require food assistance for a period ranging from 2 to 3 months while those in Bomas and cities will require food assistance for 2 months,'' reads the statement in part.

 

 

The decrease in the affected population is due to increased agriculture production as a result of good rainfall distribution and increased access to fertiliser and improved seeds, despite reports of dry spells, crop diseases as well as Fall Army Worm infestation in some districts. 

 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, maize production has been estimated at 4,581,524 Metric Tonnes in the 2020/21 agriculture season compared to 3,785,712 Metric Tonnes in the 2019/20 agriculture Season, representing an increase of 21 percent.

 

 

The efforts of all the stakeholders in addressing this situation are greatly appreciated by the Government. 

 

 

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