Food security situation may improve

Although Malawi still faces food security problems, the situation was generally better than last year due to various market and food aid interventions, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) said in its latest report. "Crop production is generally expected to be better this year than last. Maize production is expected go up by 31 percent from 1.6 million mt last year to 2 million mt this year," FEWS NET said. Malawi's national maize consumption requirement was about 1.9 million mt. "If the above production estimates are correct, therefore, the country will just slightly exceed internal consumption requirements," the report added. The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation released the first crop production estimates on 31 January and attributed the expected improvement to favourable weather conditions and increased uptake of agricultural inputs. "However, it is important to note that these figures are very preliminary, and do not take into account post-harvest losses, opening stocks, seed requirement, and the requirement to replenish the strategic grain reserve, imports and exports," FEWS NET noted. Despite the recent positive developments, the latest food security assessment report by the Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) indicated that the number of people in need of food assistance had risen by about 2 percent from 3.4 million in August to 3.6 million. "Although Malawi appears to be successfully dealing with the food crisis, the food security problem is not yet over. Even though maize is available in local markets, a lot of poor households cannot afford it. Some of these people are being assisted by the free maize distributions, but not everybody who needs assistance is being reached due to resource constraints. As expected, the number of people in need of assistance has been rising as Malawi reaches the peak of the hunger season," FEWS NET added. World Food Programme (WFP) emergency officer Amy Horton stressed that the crop estimates were still "very preliminary" and dependent on a number of factors, such as whether or not the rains continue. Horton told IRIN that while a good harvest would be a positive thing, "the food security situation would still be delicate for many households". "Even if the overall situation is good there's still a relatively small percentage of the population that remains extremely vulnerable - the destitute, those who do not have enough access to land to harvest, people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. We are working with NGOs, government and donors to work out how to continue supporting those households. But obviously a healthy harvest would be a very positive thing," Horton added. She said humanitarian agencies were "cautiously hopeful" that the overall food security situation could improve, but would still have to "stay on our toes". A rapid crop assessment would be conducted by WFP, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the government between the end of February and the first week of March.