The World Food Program says it is committed to providing essential support to Malawi in addressing food insecurity.
Earlier this year, government purchased 23 thousand metric tons of maize flour from Tanzania and South Africa with funding from the World Bank and World Food Program for distribution exercise under the 2023/2024 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme to assist the households that are facing hunger in 12 districts.
This week, the Department of Disaster and Management Affairs (Dodma) said that it is remaining with 7 thousand metric tons of maize flour to be distributed to the households that are facing hunger in the country.
According to DODMA as of 11th April 2024, it has distributed maize flour of 16 thousand metric tons to five districts namely Blantyre Chitipa, Machinga Chiradzulu, and Mulanje.
Speaking to MIJ Online, Paul Turnbull country Director and representative for the World Food Program in Malawi, expressed concern over the prevailing hunger situation in the country.
Turnbull has therefore assured Malawians that his organization will actively pursue additional food from various donors to aid Malawi in addressing its current food insecurity challenges.
Further, he said the organization is committed to assisting DODMA by facilitating transportation logistics for the distribution of extra grain to communities in need.
When asked what the nation should do to address the challenge of food insecurity that the nation has been struggling with in recent years, Turnbull advised the nation to grow the right crops at the right time and that are resilient to harvest bumper yields.
Over the years WFP has been assisting government to transport food for distribution during the time of disasters.
