29th September, 2015
More than 2.8 million people face hunger in Malawi in the next six months after severe floods and drought ruined this year’s harvest, according to the UN’s World Food Programme.
The organisation said the floods earlier this year were the "worst in living memory" and washed away homes and food stocks as well as ruining fertile lands. Those crops that did survive faced intense dry spells in the following months.
In response to food shortages, people in some affected areas have already started to sell livestock to make ends meet while women have started to increase firewood and charcoal selling, tasks which degrade the environment and aggravate an already fragile climate.
Welcoming the commitments of the Malawian Government and the support of other nations, such as Italy and the US, in addressing the situation, the WFP said it still requires $US81 million to meet the needs of the most vulnerable over the next six months. It said timing of the funding was important, so that food stocks could be put in place before November when road access in rural areas may be cut off due to rain.
The WFP has also highlighted the plight of children, noting that urgent action is needed to save childrens’ lives and prevent undernutrition from worsening. A recent report found that, thanks to nutrition, 42 per cent of children in Malawi were affected by stunting, the highest of any country in the region.
Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika has reportedly said 17 per cent of the country’s population will not able to find sufficient food within the 2015-16 period.
– DAVID ADAMS
