More people becoming food insecure—VP
Vice-President Everton Chimulirenji has said government is reassessing the number of needy people to reach out to more people who are food insecure.
The Veep said this on Wednesday after monitoring a food distribution exercise at Chakhaza Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Chakhaza in Dowa.
He said government, through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma), is reassessing the situation and will soon come up with results.
“I understand that the Mvac [Malawi Vulnerability Assessment] report was done in June and the number of those that need food [aid] has increased. Government through Dodma will reassess [the situation],” he said.
According Mvac, 1 000 people are food insecure in T/A Chakhaza, but the number has reportedly increased.
In his remarks, T/A Chakhaza said there is hunger in his area as people are now depending on mangoes.
The Mvac report projected that 1 062 674 people will be at risk of food insecurity in 27 districts in the country (except Likoma Island) during the 2019/20 lean season.
Following the projection, Dodma facilitated the development of the 2019/20 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Plan(LS-Firp) to mobilise resources, coordinate and guide the implementation of humanitarian assistance towards the affected people.
The total maize requirements for the implementation of the exercise is 8 129 metric tonnes (162 580 bags of maize each weighing 50kg) valued at K1.79 billion.
Government will provide about K622.13 million to carter for all logistical arrangements, which include targeting processes (registration of beneficiaries) and transportation.
The total financial requirements for the implementation of the programme is $51.8 million (about K38.8 billion).
