Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Times News
Published on 2024-04-09 05:53:43
The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has stated that Malawi’s development partners have shown commitment to providing assistance in response to President Lazarus Chakwera’s declaration of a State of Disaster. This declaration was made last month, covering 23 out of the 28 districts in the country. OPC spokesperson Robert Kalindiza confirmed that there has been a positive response from development partners, although the specifics were not mentioned.
President Chakwera highlighted that 749,113 hectares of land have been affected by disasters, and the country is in need of approximately 600,000 metric tonnes of maize to respond to the crisis. This would require around K357 billion in funding. The President called for support in food production and humanitarian aid, and there is a commitment from partners to provide assistance.
Despite the acknowledgment of the crisis and the response from development partners, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Sameer Suleman, expressed disappointment in Parliament’s failure to adequately address the issue of hunger during the recent session. Suleman stated that attempts to raise the issue of food scarcity were dismissed, indicating a lack of focus on this critical issue.
Suleman also criticized the President for not outlining clear measures to address the problem after declaring the State of Disaster. He suggested that immediate action should have been taken to allocate resources towards supporting those affected by hunger. Suleman urged the government to prioritize saving funds to assist those in need.
Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu recently announced that several measures have been implemented to alleviate hunger-related challenges in Malawi. The government has initiated the distribution of maize and financial aid through the Mtukula Pakhomo program to support households facing or at risk of experiencing food shortages.
The widespread impact of disasters on agricultural land and the growing need for essential resources such as maize underscore the urgency of addressing the crisis effectively. The commitment from development partners, coupled with government initiatives, signals a collective effort to mitigate the effects of the State of Disaster declared by President Chakwera. Moving forward, stakeholders must continue to collaborate and implement sustainable solutions to support those affected by the crisis in Malawi.
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