LILONGWE (Reuters) - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) hopes to raise $103 million for operations in Malawi over the next three years to help those affected by natural disasters, WFP officials said on Monday.
WFP officials expect in this time to assist 1.2 million Malawians affected by HIV/AIDS and natural disasters in drought-prone Malawi. Local officials have also predicted possible flooding in large parts of Malawi this year.
"WFP in Rome this month approved the new protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO) ... for Malawi which is scheduled to begin in January 2008 and run through December 2010," WFP information officer Mathews Nyirenda said.
"With this approval, WFP can now start raising $103 million to source about 215,000 metric tonnes of maize to feed an estimated 1.2 million people for three years," Nyirenda said.
The government of Malawi is the first donor to the new operation, with 3,000 tonnes of maize that will be used during the initial phase of the programme. Other donors include Slovenia with a contribution of 50,000 euros and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
This is good news for over a million Malawians estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS and for thousands who may suffer the effects of severe flooding this year.
Earlier this month meteorology officials predicted possible flooding across the greater part of the country.
"This programme will help significantly in reducing the hunger of vulnerable groups and just as importantly, strengthen the communities' ability to cope with the added stresses associated with natural disasters and HIV/AIDS," Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Malawi, said.
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