The food distribution is targeting 5.7 million food insecure Malawians flagged by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report for the three to six month lean period.

Speaking at the food distribution launch at Kamuzu stadium, DoDMA director of preparedness and response, Reverend Moses Chimphepo said they have started the initiative a month ahead of schedule, due to the imminent threat of hunger on lives of Malawians, as directed by the president.

“We were supposed to start in October, but we have started today (Wednesday) because of the situation on the ground. You know recently the president Lazarus Chakwera was in the lower shire, Chikwawa and Nsanje where people are suffering and he declared that we begin the distribution now.” He said.

He added that hunger stricken families from In Blantyre city, rural, Neno and Mwanza have been targeted to receive relief food for six months while others districts in Chikwawa and Nsanje, will get the food between - a three to four months period.

Lytton Nkata, Blantyre City Council director of administration said 50 000 people have been targeted to be given the relief food in the city.

“Through the Joint Emergency Assistance Program communities are involved in beneficiary identification, and council officials go on the ground to assess and verify the vulnerability of the targeted beneficiaries.”

“Catherine Ligowe, 73, a widow of four children from Machinjiri Township in Blantyre is one of the beneficiaries who received a 50-kilogram bag of maize.

She said: “Earlier this year I got injured and went to hospital. When I returned home, I found that thieves had stolen all my maize whilst in the garden. I was then living on alms, I am grateful that the government through DoDMA has given me this 50 - kilogram bag of maize which will sustain my family for at least the next two months.”

In preparedness the DoDMA director said, with the weak la nina season forecast, the department has procured 6000 metric tons of maize from the strategic grain reserves to support any occurrence of disaster through the multi-contingency response plan.

“We have pre-positioned the relief maize and relief materials in Karonga, Mzuzu, Bangula, Ntcheu and Blantyre to be able to reach out to people in case of flooding.”

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