The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has revealed that it will give a 50 kilogramme (kg) bag of maize to each of the 5.7 million Malawians affected by hunger.
Dodma Director of Preparedness and Response Moses Chimphepo disclosed this in Blantyre Wednesday, when the department launched the lean season food distribution exercise.
In Blantyre itself, over 50,000 households have been lined up for relief maize.
The department launched the programme after a Malawi Vulnerability Assessment report indicated that about 5.7 million people would need food assistance between now and the next growing season.
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Initially, the programme was expected to commence next month but has started ahead of schedule following a directive by President Lazarus Chakwera early this month.
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Chimphepo said through the programme, they hope to meet the food needs of all the affected people in the country.
“We have started the food distribution [exercise] this month because of the dire situation on the ground, as many people are suffering. Suffice to say that we were already responding to the hunger situation sporadically in areas where people were complaining of hunger.
“But now, this is the launch of a bigger programme where all the 5.7 million hunger-stricken people will benefit,” Chimphepo said.
Under the initiative, each affected individual will receive a 50kg bag of maize monthly, with others receiving for three months.
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The maximum duration those extremely affected would receive the food is six months.
Commenting on the country’s state of preparedness for natural disasters ahead of the rainy season, Chimphepo said preparations were going on well.
According to Chimphepo, an extra 6,000 metric tonnes of maize was ready for distribution in the event of prolonged hunger as a result of the El-Nino phenomenon.
“We are also analysing the state of our boats and doing repairs on at least eight belonging to the Malawi Red Cross Society, Police and the Malawi Defence Force. We have also procured blankest and other basic necessities which will prove useful in case of any eventuality,” Chimphepo said.
