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ACT Alert
Malawi
- 2/2002
Severe
Food Shortages
Geneva,
5 March, 2002
Malawi is facing a severe food shortage as a result of the poor 2001
harvest that was due to the excessive rains and floods, coupled with
reduced and late delivery of inputs. According to the FAO special
alert (320), the harvest had declined by one-third from the level
of the previous year. In the 1999/2000 season, the country had a surplus
production of maize while during the current season, the country will
be obliged to import an estimated at 200,000 tonnes of maize. So far,
only 60,000 of the 150,000 tonnes ordered from South Africa have arrived
in the country. Transport problems in the region has been sited as
one reason for the poor delivery of the imported maize. Also the heavy
rains experienced in February interrupted railway transport on the
Nacala railway in Mozambique. The food prices between January 2001
and January 2002 have more than doubled and most of the rural people
cannot afford to buy food and have to go for long periods of time
without having anything to eat. Thousands of children are reported
to be malnourished and in need of therapeutic feeding.
Emergency food aid for the country is estimated at 20,000 tonnes
of which 9,000 has already been distributed by the WFP in flood affected
areas. ACT members the Evangelical Lutheran Development Program
(ELDP) plans to provide food to 18,581 rural families in Karonga,
and Phalombe districts. In addition, they would like to assist 7,067
malnourished under five children in the same operational areas. CARD
plan to provide food to 19,000 families and 10,000 malnourished
under five children in Nsanje district. The budget for the two ACT
members adds up to about $1million. Meanwhile, the ACT appeal is expected
to be issued within the coming week.
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