EU to support food security

The European Union (EU) is to commit €45 million (about US $17.7 million) to strengthen food security in Malawi.

Malawi recently emerged from a national food shortage, which at its height saw millions of people depending on food aid to stave off hunger.

EU spokesman Charles Undulu told IRIN that "during the last two or three years Malawi has not been able to achieve food security, partly due to the lack of a proper food security policy".

"With the drafting of a new policy, we hope that within the next three to four years the country will be food secure," Undulu said.

The EU head of delegation in Lilongwe, Wiepke van der Goot, told IRIN the EU sponsored Multi-Annual Food Security Programme was of "enormous importance" to Malawi.

"[Food security] is one of the major challenges facing Malawi, especially when 30 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Given the food crisis we have had over the last couple of years, it is extremely important to get to a situation where Malawi is completely food secure," Van der Goot added.

The EU funds will go towards providing nutritional support to vulnerable groups such as people affected by HIV/AIDS, women and children.

Undulu confirmed that approximately €11 million (US $12.9 million) would be used to implement the country's food security and nutrition policy, €10 million (US $11.8 million) to the strategic grain reserves and about €1.6 million (US $1.8 million) for trade improvement measures. €13 million would be used to improve household incomes and €10 million (US $11.8 million) for nutritional support.

The Multi-Annual Food Security Programme will run from 2004 until 2007, Van der Goot added.