Text of unattributed report entitled "Committee says 1.5 million face food shortage" published by widely-read, privately-owned Malawian daily newspaper The Nation website on 7 October
As President Bingu wa Mutharika continues to get international recognition for improving the country's food situation, an estimated 1.5 million people in six districts could face food shortage this year and need urgent action, according to a latest report by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC).
But government has reiterated there is no need to panic since the country recorded a food surplus last year and that stocks are being moved to deficit areas that were affected by, among others, drought and floods last year.
"It is estimated that 1.5 million are vulnerable to food insecurity. The worse affected districts include Mulanje, Zomba, Mzimba, Phalombe, Thyolo and Mangochi," says the report.
MVAC, chaired by government and assisted by some UN agencies and local NGOs in the food sector, says in the southern region districts of Chiradzulu and Phalombe it is estimated that 49 and 40 per cent of the population risks food insecurity.
But the reports agrees that the main reasons for the situation is low production due to "weather variations such as flooding, dry spells and early cessation of rains". It also says low purchasing power and increased food prices account for the development.
Some members of the donor community confided in The Nation they want government to immediately launch an international appeal by declaring a state of disaster in the five districts so that relief agencies in the country can mobilize funds and compliment government efforts.
"But it looks like government is dragging its feet to make an appeal because of the potential embarrassment this revelations may have on the president who has been honoured with several awards in recognition to the country improved food situation," said one of the diplomats in Lilongwe yesterday.
"Government needs to raise at least 2bn kwacha [about 14m dollars] to avert the problems because the 100m kwacha [about 717,000 dollars] set aside in the budget for disaster preparedness is not adequate even in a case were 673,500 people require assistance," said another diplomat working for a relief agency.
But Deputy Minister for Agriculture Frank Mwenifumbo yesterday said that he does not see the reason why an emergency should be declared when the country registered another food surplus of 500,000 metric tonnes, which MVAC has revised to 378,000 tonnes. "The president already ordered that food be moved to the food-deficit districts. This country already has enough food to respond to the situation in the said areas and that is already happening," said Mwenifumbo.
"WFP and FAO should know that we have enough food and it's time they moved from food relief in Malawi to food production because they whole world has recognized us, even the UN, that Malawi is on course to achieving the MGD 1 [on food security]," said the deputy minister.
Meanwhile, the parliamentary committee on agriculture said they were not surprised to hear about the MVAC report, saying they have all along told government that a lot of people are facing food shortages in rural Malawi.
"We as a committee have always reported to government that hunger is looming and, in fact, government has not listened," said committee chair Dzoole Mwale. But he said his committee has not yet seen the report.
"We were supposed to meet the MVAC team on Friday [3 October] last week but the meeting failed," he said.
The subsidized farm input programme implemented by the Mutharika regime has in the last three years resulted into bumper yields which, apart from improving the food security nationally, has also pushed economic growth averaging 7 per cent.
Originally published by The Nation website, Blantyre, in English 7 Oct 08.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Malawi tobacco doubles earnings from “green gold”
Malawi’s Tobacco Control Commission (TCC)’s General Manager, Godfrey Chapola, said on Tuesday that this year\’s tobacco crop has brought in revenue of US$461 million, up from the 2007 earnings of US$196 million from the crop dubbed as the country’s “green gold.”
Tobacco is Malawi’s number one foreign exchange earner, followed by sugar and tea.
Chapola told APA during an interview in Lilongwe to mark the end of the country’s tobacco selling season that 190 million kg of tobacco was sold this season, compared to the 111 million kg of the crop sold last year.
\"This represents an increase of 55 million kg above the final estimate of 135 million kg of both burley and flue cured tobacco,\" he said.
The increase in the tobacco earnings have come about because farmers this year produced high quality of tobacco due to the good rains experienced in many parts of the country, he said, adding that the high prices which the buyers offered during the season attracted more smallholder farmers to produce a lot of tobacco as well.
The overall average price was US$2.40 for burley tobacco per kg, a big improvement when in the past seasons the crop used to earn less than a dollar for a kg of the high intensive crop.
Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika’s intervention in the tobacco industry is credited with the improved earnings, after his public accusation of the buyers – most of them foreigners – as thieves for their low priced offers to the poor farmers.
“They (tobacco farmers) can hardly afford to buy a bicycle from their earnings due to the low prices paid for their tobacco,” Mutharika fumed, before he imposed a minimum price of US$1.10 per kg of every tobacco sold on the local market.
Tobacco is Malawi’s number one foreign exchange earner, followed by sugar and tea.
Chapola told APA during an interview in Lilongwe to mark the end of the country’s tobacco selling season that 190 million kg of tobacco was sold this season, compared to the 111 million kg of the crop sold last year.
\"This represents an increase of 55 million kg above the final estimate of 135 million kg of both burley and flue cured tobacco,\" he said.
The increase in the tobacco earnings have come about because farmers this year produced high quality of tobacco due to the good rains experienced in many parts of the country, he said, adding that the high prices which the buyers offered during the season attracted more smallholder farmers to produce a lot of tobacco as well.
The overall average price was US$2.40 for burley tobacco per kg, a big improvement when in the past seasons the crop used to earn less than a dollar for a kg of the high intensive crop.
Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika’s intervention in the tobacco industry is credited with the improved earnings, after his public accusation of the buyers – most of them foreigners – as thieves for their low priced offers to the poor farmers.
“They (tobacco farmers) can hardly afford to buy a bicycle from their earnings due to the low prices paid for their tobacco,” Mutharika fumed, before he imposed a minimum price of US$1.10 per kg of every tobacco sold on the local market.
Malawi sugar price increases by 13 percent
Illovo Sugar Company, Malawi\’s sole producer of sugar, has announced a 13 percent increase in the price of the sweet product with immediate effect, APA learnt here Tuesday.
Due to the increase, the factory price of one kg of white sugar is now pegged at 120.46 Malawi kwacha or 0.95 US cents. Local traders have pushed this to MK140 (US$1) and above.
Illovo Public Relations Officer Irene Phalula said on Tuesday the company had decided to increase the sugar price due to rising input costs such as fuel, fertiliser and packaging materials on the international market.
“These are the main factors that have led to the price increase of the sugar,\" she said.
Due to the increase, the factory price of one kg of white sugar is now pegged at 120.46 Malawi kwacha or 0.95 US cents. Local traders have pushed this to MK140 (US$1) and above.
Illovo Public Relations Officer Irene Phalula said on Tuesday the company had decided to increase the sugar price due to rising input costs such as fuel, fertiliser and packaging materials on the international market.
“These are the main factors that have led to the price increase of the sugar,\" she said.
Mizzou for Malawi to raise money for orphan education
The organization is the pilot program for Change a Life.
Three MU students hope to involve the rest of campus in their efforts to help fund a facility for orphans in Africa.
Student organization Mizzou for Malawi's biggest fundraiser will be the profits from tonight's party at The Upper Crust. The restaurant is providing the venue free for Mizzou for Malawi, which is attempting to raise $25,000 to build a school for 600 children in Malawi.
The party is open to anyone and costs $10 at the door. Organizers encourage supporters to wear black and gold.
Junior Libby Wolfe presented the idea of the philanthropic organization to juniors Bree Dunn and Kyle Kilroy after her family became involved with C3 Missions International, a Kansas City non-profit organization. C3 Missions International works to improve the wellbeing of orphans around the world.
"It is really difficult to have an impact on people when there are so many great causes out there," Kilroy said. "Our goal is to define this really well, to get people to say this is worthy of their time."
The group will be in Speaker's Circle today selling advance tickets for $8. Those who donate an additional $12 will receive a T-shirt.
Mizzou for Malawi developed from the work of three students who believe education is key to the future of the south African country, the students said. Only 62.7 percent of the population can read, according to the Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook.
C3 is planning to build a multi-part complex in Malawi with a school, a health clinic and birthing center, a church and 60 homes that could house 600 orphans. Mizzou for Malawi has taken on the responsibility of funding the school while other parties such as Saint Luke's Health System and Integral Life Foundation, both of Kansas City, took on other projects, such as the health clinic and birthing center.
C3 Missions International asked Wolfe to involve MU students as part of Change a Life, a program they created that aims to involve college students with their cause, especially concerning the education of orphans. Dunn said the girls renamed the program Mizzou for Malawi because they thought it would "tug at a few more heartstrings than something more generic-sounding."
The three founders are the first in the nation to bring Change a Life to their school, but the program's founder hopes it will eventually spread, Wolfe said.
Wolfe, Dunn and Kilroy brought the issue to the attention of their individual Greek chapters, who then spread the word to other Greek organizations.
Most Greek organizations are holding contests to see which can collect the most spare change.
Six committees will help spread the word about their cause to the rest of the campus through things such as events, outreach and T-shirts. They've collected money in Speaker's Circle, reached out to other campus organizations and hope to place change boxes in downtown Columbia.
If Mizzou for Malawi can reach its $25,000 goal, Change a Life plans to start building in January.
"The whole thing for me is, we've been given so much opportunity, why not give back?" Wolfe said.
Three MU students hope to involve the rest of campus in their efforts to help fund a facility for orphans in Africa.
Student organization Mizzou for Malawi's biggest fundraiser will be the profits from tonight's party at The Upper Crust. The restaurant is providing the venue free for Mizzou for Malawi, which is attempting to raise $25,000 to build a school for 600 children in Malawi.
The party is open to anyone and costs $10 at the door. Organizers encourage supporters to wear black and gold.
Junior Libby Wolfe presented the idea of the philanthropic organization to juniors Bree Dunn and Kyle Kilroy after her family became involved with C3 Missions International, a Kansas City non-profit organization. C3 Missions International works to improve the wellbeing of orphans around the world.
"It is really difficult to have an impact on people when there are so many great causes out there," Kilroy said. "Our goal is to define this really well, to get people to say this is worthy of their time."
The group will be in Speaker's Circle today selling advance tickets for $8. Those who donate an additional $12 will receive a T-shirt.
Mizzou for Malawi developed from the work of three students who believe education is key to the future of the south African country, the students said. Only 62.7 percent of the population can read, according to the Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook.
C3 is planning to build a multi-part complex in Malawi with a school, a health clinic and birthing center, a church and 60 homes that could house 600 orphans. Mizzou for Malawi has taken on the responsibility of funding the school while other parties such as Saint Luke's Health System and Integral Life Foundation, both of Kansas City, took on other projects, such as the health clinic and birthing center.
C3 Missions International asked Wolfe to involve MU students as part of Change a Life, a program they created that aims to involve college students with their cause, especially concerning the education of orphans. Dunn said the girls renamed the program Mizzou for Malawi because they thought it would "tug at a few more heartstrings than something more generic-sounding."
The three founders are the first in the nation to bring Change a Life to their school, but the program's founder hopes it will eventually spread, Wolfe said.
Wolfe, Dunn and Kilroy brought the issue to the attention of their individual Greek chapters, who then spread the word to other Greek organizations.
Most Greek organizations are holding contests to see which can collect the most spare change.
Six committees will help spread the word about their cause to the rest of the campus through things such as events, outreach and T-shirts. They've collected money in Speaker's Circle, reached out to other campus organizations and hope to place change boxes in downtown Columbia.
If Mizzou for Malawi can reach its $25,000 goal, Change a Life plans to start building in January.
"The whole thing for me is, we've been given so much opportunity, why not give back?" Wolfe said.
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