Malawi Hunger: US helps with K35 billion in food aid

This follows another K15 billion donation which was announced by Second Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden when she visited the country last month. According to Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee’s (MVAC) report, 6.5 million Malawians need humanitarian food assistance to alleviate suffering through March 2017.

For this reason government has been asking its partners to assist hunger victims in the country.

The commitments include a review of the Control of Goods Act, which has inhibited investment in food production, and the drafting of a Seed Bill that is consistent with Malawi’s SADC seed harmonization obligations to enhance farmer access to quality seeds from across the region.

“Together we recognize that policy and market predictability are critical if Malawi’s farmers are to become entrepreneurs, if agribusinesses are to invest, and if Malawi is to transform its agriculture sector from a source of vulnerability into an engine for growth,” Ambassador Palmer said.

Since October 2015, the U.S. Government has provided assistance through two food crises in Malawi totalling US$122.1 million (MK88 billion).

Part of the K35 billion donation will be used by the UN World Food Program (WFP) and other international organizations to distribute the United States’ food donation, which includes 14,200 metric tons of maize, 10,090 metric tons of beans.

The remainder of the donation will support agriculture recovery and nutrition activities in Malawi.

In her remarks following the announcement, US Ambassador to Malawi Virginia Palmer expressed her country’s commitment to work with Malawi to break the cycle of food insecurity by providing assistance to help Malawi to honour its New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition commitments.