WFP Assists 2.5 Million People Amidst Food Insecurity in Malawi
The report states, "there were shortfalls in certain areas such as refugee support, social protection, nutrition prevention, and vulnerability analysis and mapping."
Lilongwe, Malawi - The World Food Programme (WFP) provided much-needed food assistance to 2.5 million people in Malawi in 2023, amidst a staggering 131 percent increase in acute food insecurity, according to the WFP's Annual Country Report, writes Winston Mwale.
The highlights the organization's efforts to alleviate hunger and support vulnerable communities in the country.
According to the report, WFP distributed 15,000 metric tons of food through relief, school meals, and resilience activities, while also providing USD 28 million in cash-based transfers.
The organization played a crucial role as the co-lead of the national logistics cluster, offering emergency logistics services in response to Tropical Cyclone Freddy, the lean season, and cholera outbreaks.
Despite the commendable achievements, the report also reveals certain challenges faced by WFP in meeting all the needs of the affected populations.
The report states, "there were shortfalls in certain areas such as refugee support, social protection, nutrition prevention, and vulnerability analysis and mapping."
As a result, ration cuts and targeting adjustments were necessary for refugees, and activities related to social protection and vulnerability analysis were scaled down.
The financial overview of WFP's operations in Malawi reveals that the organization received USD 119 million in funding, which accounted for 87 percent of its annual needs-based plan requirement.
However, certain areas experienced shortfalls due to insufficient funding.
The report highlights the importance of the country strategic plan (CSP), which benefited from international donor funding, private sector support, and multilateral funds.
The report also emphasizes WFP's commitment to cross-cutting results, including efforts to promote energy-efficient cooking solutions and reduce deforestation.
The organization rolled out a pilot project on solar electric cookstoves among refugees and Malawian farmers participating in the integrated resilience intervention.
In terms of WFP's strategic outcomes, the report indicates that 709,328 people affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy received in-kind food and cash assistance.
Additionally, 543,641 people received food and cash-based transfers during the lean season, and 51,792 refugees were supported through cash-based transfers.
The report also highlights the positive impact of WFP's interventions on vulnerable populations. Attendance rates in schools improved by 0.7 percent, reaching 92.4 percent.
Furthermore, 35,000 farmers linked to home-grown school feeding programs were trained in business management and crop planning, benefiting 669,410 children.
WFP's efforts to improve nutritional status in Malawi were also successful, with 1.3 million beneficiaries receiving nutrition information and a significant improvement in the minimum diet diversity score for women and girls of reproductive age.
Regarding resilience and livelihoods, 118,000 households benefited from food assistance for assets activities, while 2,500 savings and loan groups were supported to increase rural access to financial services.
Agro-advisories and weather forecasts were provided to 58,000 farmers, and 1,600 smallholder farmers engaged in contract farming.
The report concludes by highlighting the importance of building capacity and improving supply chain systems to achieve sustainable development goals.
The WFP supported the enhancement of competencies for food and nutrition security analysis and provided information management services to improve logistics information dissemination.
As WFP continues its efforts to address food insecurity and support vulnerable populations in Malawi, the organization remains committed to its mission of achieving zero hunger and sustainable development.