Millions face hunger if food aid does not arrive

A sharp increase in malnutrition rates and rapidly rising maize prices in Malawi could push the number of vulnerable people in need of food aid up to five million, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday. Food experts had previously estimated the number of people facing food shortages during the 2005/06 marketing year (April/March) at around 4.2 million, or 34 percent of the total population, but that figure was based on a maize price-band of 19-23 kwacha/kg. However, in some districts in the south of the country, such as Mwanza, Mangochi, Nchalo and Balaka, prices had already exceeded the band limit, climbing to nearly 33 kwacha ($) per kg in some areas, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FA0) highlighted in a report earlier this week. WFP said the food agency originally planned to feed about two million of the most vulnerable in seven districts in southern Malawi until April next year, while the government and other organisations had committed themselves to feeding an additional 2.2 million people elsewhere in the country during the hunger period before the new harvest. "However due to a rapidly worsening situation, WFP is now planning to feed up to 2.9 million people in the southern districts," the agency said. Earlier this week WFP also confirmed that 29 children in southern Malawi had died of hunger-related illnesses between January and September. The deaths were recorded by health officials in the Nsanje district, south of Blantyre, the commercial capital. WFP spokeswoman Antonella D'Aprile told IRIN that "every effort is being made to ensure that people get full rations". "So far we have only been able to distribute maize because of a lack of resources, but we are hoping to receive more pledges of oil and pulses so that we can complete the food basket. We cannot stress enough just how important it is for donors to come forward at this stage," D'Aprile said. In August the UN appealed for $88 million to respond to the hunger crisis in Malawi; so far, donors have contributed or pledged just over $15 million. About 12 million people in southern Africa - two-thirds of them in Malawi and Zimbabwe - are in need of emergency food aid, and the FAO expects the situation to worsen during the lean months before the next harvest in April-May 2006, unless international relief is provided urgently.