Vice President Jane Mayemu Ansah on Friday officially launched the 2025/2026 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme in the Northern Region during a ceremony held at Kavitowo Primary School Ground in Mzimba, as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to cushion millions of Malawians facing acute food shortages.
The launch follows President Peter Mutharika’s recent declaration of a State of Disaster, as hunger deepens across all 28 districts.
According to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), four million people nationwide are going without food due to prolonged dry spells.
Speaking during the launch, Ansah said the government, through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), had rolled out the initiative to provide urgent food assistance to vulnerable households during the harshest months of the year.
“The country is facing multiple challenges, including floods, drought, rising prices and economic instability, which have left millions at risk of extreme hunger,” she said.
The programme has a budget of MK209.4 billion, with over MK60 billion already secured through contributions from the government and development partners.
Key supporters include the World Bank, UK Government, USAID, Irish Aid, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Korea, China, the World Food Programme (WFP), and several local financial institutions.
The Vice President disclosed that maize distribution has already begun in Machinga, Neno and Salima, with 187,325 metric tonnes earmarked for nationwide distribution.She also expressed gratitude to President Mutharika for entrusting her with the leadership of DoDMA.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, who has seen it fit to appoint me as overseer of DoDMA, and this is my first assignment,” she said, adding: “Malawi is privileged to have a visionary leader who has the welfare of people at heart.”
Ansah further urged District Commissioners to speed up beneficiary registration to ensure timely deliveries. She warned against the exploitation of vulnerable households and called for sustained investment in modern, resilient farming systems to break the recurring cycle of food insecurity.
Other high-profile speakers at the event included Paramount Chief Inkosi Mbelwa V, Mzimba Solola legislator Rightwell Mahowa, WFP Country Representative Hyoung-joon Lim, DoDMA Commissioner Wilson Mollen, and Mzimba District Commissioner Rodgers Newa, who all commended President Mutharika for the initiative and pledged continued support toward strengthening humanitarian response efforts.
Ansah said the programme marks a crucial step toward ensuring that no Malawian goes hungry during the lean season.
