By Vincent Gunde
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) says Malawi’s food security situation between October, 2023 and March, 2024 is expected to deteriorate where 4.4 million people will face high levels of acute food insecurity.
IFPRI says the maximum projected price for maize is expected to be at K965 per Kilogram, something that will likely affect rural and urban households to provide unfavorable financial access to food during the projected period.
The organization says the food security situation in rural and urban areas is expected to deteriorate due to low production of food staples coupled with high prices exacerbated by inflation and the impact of war in Ukraine.
In its food situation analysis, IFPRI says the southern region has high levels of poverty being a result of persistent exposure to shocks such as floods and drought expressing fears that the majority of the households depend on the staple production.
According to IFPRI, from June, 2023, 3 million people of the total population are experiencing high acute food insecurity and the situation will prevail to September calling for immediate measures to be taken to protect livelihoods and reduce food consumption gaps.
The organization says the situation is expected to worsen during the period from October, 2023-March, 2024 saying 4.4 million people will be in a worse food crisis and that these people will require humanitarian assistance to sustain livelihoods.
”Humanitarian food assistance must be implemented from October, 2023-March, 2024 , there must be anticipated response from humanitarian organizations to provide crucial food assistance to the affected population,”reads part of the statement.
The organization has recommended ADMARC to stock adequate maize to stabilize maize prices saying sufficient grain reserves will ensure the availability of food during periods of scarcity, regulating prices and food security for the population.
It has also recommended the Government of Malawi to ensuring the timely supply and distribution of inputs through the AIP for improving crop productivity and enhancing food security to increased agricultural production and better food availability.
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