Maize imports option for Malawi—FAO
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Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) and International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) have said maize imports remain critical for Malawi to avert hunger following poor harvest resulting from weather socks.In a collaborative blog published on May 31 2024, the organisation argued that winter and irrigation farming, cash transfers as well as local maize purchases are not enough solutions to meet the need and that donors are key to support the imports. The report comes at a time the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) said it is facing a deficit of about K643.8 billion ($367.7 million) to provide relief support to two million households affected by El Nino weather conditions that have reduced harvest in the country. It reads in part: “If the government’s plans to grow maize during the dry winter season were realised, they would make up for Malawi’s entire production deficit. But that’s unlikely to happen.“This leaves only one viabl...