BLANTYRE—(MaraviPost)—Malawi’s hunger crisis is likely to escalate if extra funding is not pumped in immediately as the international organisations have revealed that the funding gap that exists in the current humanitarian response programme is just so huge.
According to The Nation newspaper, a recent situation report conducted by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Oxfam and the World Food Programme (WFP) indicates that humanitarian response has a funding gap of $105 million (k38 billion).
speaking during a press briefing at the end of a four-day visit to Malawi aimed at promoting Oxfam Scotland drought appeal for Malawi, head of Oxfam Scotland Jamie Livingstone said on Wednesday the funding gap for humanitarian response is alarming and likely to affect the already impoverished Malawians.
According to Livingstone, the country needs about $60 million for non-maize commodities and k38 million for cash transfer.
“During my visit, I have met several officials including the vice president [Saulos Chilima] to talk about the humanitarian response gap. He has told me that government is doing its best to source money in order to bridge the gap,” he said as quoted by The Nation.
He added: “But donors who support the food security cluster have told me that all they want is for Malawi Government to put its house in order for them to map the way forward.”
Speaking to Weekend Nation, FAO country representative Florence Rolle said the organization is currently implementing activities in six most affected districts and is planning to go into other three or four additional districts, depending on final funding agreement.
Meanwhile, an Oxfam Malawi hunger situation analysis report has faulted state grain producer and marketer, the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc), for not being available to provide information related to maize stocks in the country.