The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has called on its stakeholders to strictly adhere to Covid-19 preventive measures during the implementation of 2020/21 Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) response programme.
Commissioner for disaster management affairs James Chiusiwa said this yesterday when he officially opened a day-long virtual preparatory meeting which discussed arrangements and implementation of 2020/21 Lean Season Food Insecure Response Programme (2020/21 LS-FIRP), also known as the Mvac Response Programme.
He said it was important that stakeholders, including beneficiaries, are cautious of the pandemic.
“We have witnessed a surge in Covid-19 cases but at the same time, 2.6 million people require food assistance. As we are reaching out to the food-insecure populations, let us ensure that we adhere to all Covid-19 preventive measures,” said Chiusiwa during the meeting which drew various humanitarian partners and officials from district and city councils.
A Mvac report indicated that over 2.6 million people in all the 28 districts and four cities of the country will be food insecure between December 2020 and March, 2021.
Two response modalities are being used to assist the food insecure population. Some are receiving cash transfers while others will get maize and other commodities. Government provided 30 000 metric tonnes of maize from the Strategic Grain Reserves for the cause.
In collaboration with various humanitarian partners, such as the World Food Programme, Malawi Red Cross Society and World Vision Malawi, the department started implementing the programme by reaching out to the affected populations in Nsanje, Machinga and Zomba, where affected populations are getting cash transfers of K23 500 per month for the purchase of food.
In January 2021, the department and its partners extended the provision of relief assistance to beneficiaries in Blantyre, Neno, Balaka and Dedza. The rest of will be assisted from February, in line with Mvac recommendations.
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