LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Right to Food Coalition has wants Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc)’s farms be revived to avert food crisis while subsidising maize for locals.
The coalition obseves that the revival of the farms will an able Admarc to provide maize and other crops to Malawians timely at the subsidied prices.
Addressing the news conference on Sunday, September 15, 2024 in the capital Lilongwe, coalition chairperson, Alfred Kambwiri urged government to embrace Right to Food as the center of the political action.
Kambwiri said maize as the country’ staple must be given all necessary legal framework to avert food crisis.
The coalition therefore urged government to diligently abide by the strict fiscal principles and policies that should aid in the prompt recovery of the country’s ailing economy.
“The current maize price is exorbitant which is against Right to Food fundamentals. Admarc and NRFA must not take maize as source of income rather than be it as social services obligation to citizens.
“There is need for Admarc and NRFA to revive their farms to meet its legal obligation of feeding the nation through out the year,” urges Kambwiri.
The coalition which is comprised of 14 civil society organisations that advocate for access to food is taking stalk of 20 years after the adoption of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Right to Food.
The coalition therefore is pushing for the passing of Food and Nutrition Bill which will address policy gaps implementation including food governance, nutritional health, food access and availability, right to food, establishment of nutrition and food commission and among others.
In October 2023, about three million people representing 15% of Malawi’s population were reportedly facing high acute of food insecurity.
The 2024/25 Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) indicated that the number of people in need of food aid will increase from 4.2 million to 5.7 million during the lean period from October this year.
