The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has introduced the distribution of maize flour to food insecure households in the country.
According to the Secretary to the Vice President and Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, Wilson Moleni, the distribution program is under the 2019/20 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme (2019/20 LS-FIRP).
Moleni was speaking on Tuesday, 18th February during the introduction of the program at Sanga Primary School Ground in Nkhata Bay District.
He said the department and various human partners, have been distributing relief maize in 21 districts and implementing cash transfers (for beneficiaries to purchase food) in six districts.
“We have introduced the distribution of maize flour under the Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme and the commodity will be distributed in all the 21 districts that have been receiving maize.
“So, the department will be distributing both maize and maize flour in the said districts,” said Moleni.
Moleni further said that the introduction of the maize flour distribution under the 2019/20 LS-FIRP is in line with government’s commitment in addressing the food needs of the 1.8 million food insecure population.
He then called upon beneficiary households to properly utilize the maize flour which they will receive under the programme.
“I would also like to request all stakeholders involved in the response programme, including NGOs and district council officials to continue to exercise transparency, accountability, neutrality and impartiality in the implementation of the programme.
Moleni added that the department expects the programme to fully involve community participation and civil protection committees at local levels in the targeted districts in all the processes to ensure transparency.
The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee’s recent report indicated that over 1,879,000 people will be food insecure and will require immediate provision of relief aid during the 2019/20 lean season, which runs from October 2019, to March 2020.
