Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs Rev. Charles Kalemba has reiterated calls for partners to support food production to curb persistent food insecurity challenges the country is facing.

Speaking on Monday in Lilongwe during the 2023/24 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response (LS-FIRP) after action review (AAR) meeting for councils in the central region, Kalemba said there was need for partners to assist in improving food production using already existing strategies which include mega farming, farm mechanization and irrigation.

“We cannot be crying out loud over dry spells when we have water bodies in abundance. Let us go beyond providing resources for consumption. This is the sole reason the National El Nino Response Appeal has two main aims, to boost food production and provide humanitarian assistance,” said Kalemba.

Cumulatively, since 2016 to 2024, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) has projected over 24 million people requiring food assistance with approximately US$ 760 million required to address their needs.

The review meeting, which has been held with funding from UNICEF Malawi and the World Food Programme Malawi, is aimed at sharing best practices, successes and challenges encountered to inform subsequent programmmes.

Similar meetings will be held in the northern, southern and eastern regions of the country from 4th to 5th July, 2024.