Government has a shortfall of about K10.8 billion to support a population of 2.6 million people who are food insecure in the 2020/2021 lean season.

In a statement jointly signed by the Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), James Chiusiwa and World Food Program’s Country Director Benolt Thiry, the government of Malawi has managed to mobilize about K37.8 billion of the total K48.6 billion required amount to support the vulnerable groups through DoDMA and development partners.

Chiusiwa thus has appealed to partners including the private sector to technically and financially support the implementation of the program.

He continued to say that issues of food insecurity have worsened due to climate change, but was quick to reiterate government’s commitment to support all the vulnerable families.

The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee stated that 2.6 people including households from rural areas who experienced low crop production and some urban households who experienced loss of income due to covid-19 will be food insecure.

The lean season food response is aligned with the national covid-19 response plan which aims at tackling root causes of food and nutrition insecurity such as over-dependency on rain fed agriculture and lack of crop diversification.