WFP launches emergency food distributions in Malawi
BLANTYRE – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has begun delivering emergency food assistance to support Malawians impacted by the El Niño-fuelled drought. This effort, which complements the Government of Malawi’s National Response Plan, is supported by generous donor commitments of a nearly USD 39 million.
WFP will be able to assist 1.5 million drought-affected people for two months, thanks to critical resources from partners including the European Union, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
To mark this support, WFP, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), and donors held a joint ceremony today at WFP’s warehouse in Blantyre, preceded by a field visit to Chikwawa district, one of the districts hardest-hit by El Niño, to witness WFP’s distributions of maize and treatment for malnutrition activities.
"Malawi is grappling with more frequent and intense climate-related issues, exacerbated by weather patterns such as El Niño,’’ said WFP Malawi Country Director and Representative, Paul Turnbull. “Now, more than ever, it’s critical that we join forces to tackle these escalating risks and ensure that vulnerable communities are not left behind but equipped with the support they need to endure and recover.”
The funding has allowed WFP to purchase 33,000 metric tons of maize and 317 metric tons of Super Cereal Plus, a highly fortified corn-soya blend distributed to children under the age of twenty-four months for prevention of undernutrition, to provide emergency food assistance and nutrition treatment to those most affected by the drought. "Together with our partners, we are dedicated to supporting our people during these challenging times,” said Director of DoDMA, Charles Kalemba. “The Government of Malawi is focused on helping those most affected by the drought and strengthening our communities and as such, we sincerely thank our international donors for their vital support.”
El Niño is the latest in a series of climate-related challenges which have worsened food insecurity in Malawi, following Tropical Storm Ana in 2022 and Tropical Cyclone Freddy in 2023. Along with poor harvests, currency devaluation, and inflation, Malawi’s food security has deteriorated, with 5.7 million people acutely food insecure and in need of food assistance from now up to March 2025.
Under the El Niño Response Plan, WFP, in close coordination with the Government of Malawi, aims to help 2.1 million people with maize and cash, treat 90,000 children for malnutrition, and provide school meals to 700,000 learners.
WFP’s food distributions began just days ago, following DoDMA’s initial efforts in the most affected districts. While initial funding has enabled food procurement, WFP faces a critical funding gap of US$ 64 million to continue operations through the hunger season. Continued donor support is crucial to ensure food insecure Malawians receive the help they need during this emergency.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
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