Government assures Malawians of food security, urges citizens to embrace sustainable farming methods
Government assures Malawians of food security, urges citizens to embrace sustainable farming methods
The country is yet to recover from two devastating cyclones namely; Cyclone Gombe and Tropical Storm Ana which made landfall in early 2022.
Malawi: The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is assuring Malawians that no one will die of hunger in the country, as relief items have already been distributed to families declared food insecure, writes Memory Phoso.
"In January, we have rolled out to the whole country providing relief in terms of direct maize distribution as well as cash transfers at MK25 000 per household per month,” said DoDMA Commissioner Charles Kalemba during a government faces press event in Lilongwe.
Kalemba also emphasized that the government has mobilized resources to reach out to around 3.8 million people who were declared food insecure during the 2022–23 lean season.
He urged the citizenry to stop relying on handouts, which he said bring dependence and laziness, and instead embrace solar irrigation farming.
"If we go to solar irrigation, which is sustainable, people will be able to harvest three times every year, which will help people be food secure and financially stable. We need to move out of this disaster of perpetual food insecurity when this country can be food secure," Kalemba added.
The DoDMA together with the Department of Climate Change Meteorological Services (DCCMS), is closely monitoring Tropical Cheneso, and has prepositioned relief items and search and rescue teams should the cyclone make landfall in the country.
DCCMS Director Lucy Mtilatila said that the chances are minimal for Cyclone Cheneso to make landfall in the country, but urged people to move away from disaster-prone areas.
"Each and every one of us needs to be ready by making sure that our structures are strong enough when this disaster is coming, we should be able to be secure on our own," Mtilatila added.
The country is yet to recover from two devastating cyclones namely; Cyclone Gombe and Tropical Storm Ana which made landfall in early 2022.