Deeply concerned by the suffering of people in the country due wide-spread hunger and climate shocks, leading home-grown commercial bankers and Malawi Stock Exchange listed FDH Bank has donated 100 metric tonnes of maize worth K95.5 million to National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to ensure food security in the country.
Climate change has increasingly exacerbated droughts, flooding, and inconsistent rainfall in Malawi — contributing to food insecurity and threatening to derail progress and development in the South-east Sub-Saharan nation.
A devastating drought induced by El Nino has scorched crops and left millions hungry in Malawi and the entire southern Africa and this is why FDH Bank has its best foot forward as a caring Bank.
Levi Nkunika, FDH Bank plc Head of Marketing and Communications and NRFA Chief Executive Officer George Macheka represented their respective organisations during the handover ceremony in Lilongwe on Thursday.
According to Nkunika, the gesture was a response to the call by President Lazarus Chakwera in March this year, who declared a state of disaster in 23 out of the country’s 28 districts affected by El Nino weather that caused droughts and floods.
“FDH Bank plc has procured 100 metric tonnes equivalent to 2,000 bags of maize of 50kg each valued at K95,500, 000 which has been delivered to NFRA. This maize is expected to support 2,000 families across the country.”
“At FDH Bank, we are deeply committed to the well-being of our fellow Malawians. Partnering with NFRA to safeguard food security at the household level is not just a corporate social responsibility.
“It is part of doing business as we believe in being closer to the community, especially in times of need. We are always ready to play our part in supporting our communities in difficult times,” said Nkunika.
Nkunika added that the Bank entrusted NFRA, as an institution mandated to procure, store, and release maize on humanitarian grounds, to ensure proper storage of the maize and coordinate with the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) on distribution to Malawians in need.
In his remarks, Macheka expressed gratitude to FDH Bank plc for leading to address national emergencies.
“We are immensely grateful to FDH Bank plc for their support. This partnership is a testament to the strength and unity of Malawians.
“We hope other institutions will emulate the good example set by FDH Bank. Together we can ensure that no Malawian dies of hunger,” said Macheka.
The preliminary assessment in the Presidential Declaration indicated that close to two million farming households are affected.
Almost nine million people in Malawi are now classed as “food insecure”.
The warm currents of El Nino have brought both extreme weather and drought to large parts of southern Africa, destroying millions of acres of crops.
The warm currents of El Nino have brought both extreme weather and drought to large parts of southern Africa, destroying millions of acres of crops.
In April, Malawi declared a state of disaster in 23 of its 28 districts and called for humanitarian assistance.
Maize production – which is a major food crop – is at approximately 2.8 million metric tonnes from an annual requirement of around 3.7 million metric tonnes leaving a deficit of around 830,000 metric tonnes, according to experts.
As a corporate social responsibility under the banner, FDH Cares, the Bank seeks to make a significant contribution towards the global goals to end poverty, protect the environment, restore equality and peace.
The Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme christened FDH Cares is informed by the international and local development instruments including UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched in 2015, the Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Malawi’s 2063.
The motivation of FDH Bank is to make a significant contribution towards the global goals to end poverty, protect the environment, restore equality and peace thereby prepare a better future for the 8.5 billion people who will occupy the planet in 2030.
Leveraging on FDH Cares motto, FDH Bank is playing its part in helping people in need in communities through building an inclusive, diverse and sustainable future while promoting its performance and resilience.
“At FDH Bank, we are deeply committed to the well-being of our fellow Malawians.”
Levi Nkunika
FDH Bank plc Head of Marketing and Communications
