The global food and hunger humanitarian organisation, the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations has urged Malawi to end hunger and has implored the government and a new generation of new leaders in the country to start by producing more food.
WFP country director and representative Hyoung – Joon LIM made the call at Kavitowo Primary School ground in Mzimba District when Vice-President Dr. Jane Mayemu Ansah launched the Lean Season Food Insecurity Response programme in the Northern Region.
However, Joon LIM acknowledged that the lean season brings real hardship, but cautioned that it is not only about responding to hunger but ending it entirely so that people do not suffer again in the next season.
Joon LIM said: “We must invest in producing more food so that communities are resilient in the lean season.
“We must believe that a community can feed itself and that a country can rise.”
“We need a shift in mindset towards standing on our own feet. Ending hunger is the duty of all Malawians,” he said.
The Veep, Dr. Ansah began thanked President Peter Mutharika for trusting her office to be the new overseer of the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma), which is implementing the food response programme.
While pleading for more assistance, the Vice President said the programme is budgeted at K209.4 billion, but so far K62 billion had been pledged and sourced as of yesterday with the deficit standing at K147 billion.
“I thank the following countries and organisations for their support: World Bank, UK, USAID [United States Agency for International Development], Irish Aid, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, South Korea, China, WFP, National Bank of Malawi plc, First Capital Bank plc, Nico Holdings plc, Standard Bank plc and others,” she said.
Dr. Ansah said WFP has been ferrying the maize to all districts across the country while urging district commissioners to expedite the registration of beneficiaries.
However, the Malawi vice president warned unscrupulous people who want to take advantage of the programme that they will face the long arm of the law and its consequences in line with the Disaster Risk Management Act.
In October, Mutharika initially declared a State of Disaster in 11 districts but has now included all districts as the food situation is expected to worsen from October 2025 to March 2026.
A Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report released last month indicated that four million people or about 891 000 households, are at risk of hunger during the 2025/26 consumption period, representing 22 percent of the country’s projected population of 18.5 million.
In his remarks, Paramount Chief, Inkosi Yamakhosi M’mbelwa V of Mzimba expressed gratitude to President Mutharika, saying the moment the President assumed office, he became aware of the hunger situation and decided to deal with it.
“I’m happy that the programme has been launched. Malawi is big, thank you for launching it in Mzimba.”
Inkosi Yamakhosi Mbelwa said there is extensive famine, about 23 000 people face hunger in Mzimba district.
“The Government has intentions to help us, but sometimes people frustrate these efforts. Therefore, I advise people not to sell this maize.
“I also plead for security to be tight. There are vendors planning to offer money and buy this maize. Don’t do that. It is not only a crime, but also inhuman, said the paramount chief.
Added the chief: “The police should be vigilant against such criminal endeavours and ensure that they proactively bring anyone who break the law to book.”
M’mbelwa V also pleaded with the Presidency to ensure that farm inputs under the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) are delivered before the start of the rains while roads are still passable.
“Here in Mzimba, roads are bad. Fisp inputs should come in good time so people should be able to grow and harvest bumper yields and be self-reliant,” he said.
Dodma Commissioner Wilson Mollen said they have maize stocked in Mzimba, Karonga and Mzuzu.
He said the available maize will also cater for any other disasters that may befall the region during the 2025/26 rainy season.
“We are also educating people on the need to move to higher ground, to evade floods. We appreciate all the support we are getting,” he said.
President Peter Mutharika on Wednesday extended the declaration of a State of Disaster to all 28 districts and four cities in the wake of severe food insecurity due to prolonged dry spells.
“We must invest in producing more food so that communities are resilient in the lean season.”
Hyoung Joon LIM
WFP country director and representative
