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FOOD SHORTAGES IN MALAWI:
THE FACTS
Over three million people will require
emergency food aid over the next 12 months because of long dry spells
and high food prices.
AGRICULTURAL CRISIS
- A number of factors, including a poor harvest in 2000/01,
very low levels of maize stocks, rapidly rising food
prices, a generally late start to the rains needed
for planting, flooding in several districts and a dry
spell in early 2002, pointed to a developing food crisis in
Malawi.
Serious maize shortages developed towards the end of 2001
and first three months of 2002.
- Maize production is estimated at 1.539 million metric tonnes,
10 percent less than last year's poor harvest. The actual
harvest is expected to be lower because of widespread early consumption
of green maize to avert hunger.
- Cereal supply is estimated at 1.721 million tonnes against
a national requirement of 2.206 million tonnes, leaving an import
requirement of 485,000 tonnes.
As a result commercial cereal imports are forecast at 225,000
tonnes and food aid at 208,000 tonnes, which need to be
covered by the Government and external assistance.
- At the peak of the crisis and as the lean season advances, approximately
3.2 million seriously affected people will need emergency food,
mainly maize (see 'Hunger timetable: Malawi' box)
- The Government of Malawi declared a state of national disaster
at the end of February.
- The strategic grain reserve of 167,000 tonnes, established
in 1999 following bumper crops, was released both domestically
and for export between mid-2000 and early 2001, at a time when
indications pointed to a possible poor harvest.
According to the Mission, the mismanagement of the reserve, which
created a scarcity of maize in ADMARC outlets, and the dramatic
price increases played a critical role in the humanitarian crisis
last year.
- Maize is the preferred staple of most Malawians (80%
of the diet); a lack of maize is generally interpreted as a lack
of food.
Cassava and sweet potato production is growing steadily and traditional
maize-eating populations are eating more cassava.
- Emergency provision of maize and bean seed, fertilizer and
hoes is recommended to help farmers cultivate a winter crop
in May/June in the wetlands, as well as prepare for the main planting
season in Oct/Nov.
- National production of roots and tubers has increased,
which will moderate the maize shortage in many areas.
- Agriculture generates more than 90 percent of export earnings,
mainly from tobacco, and 30-40% of the GNP.
- During the 2000/01 season, the distribution of seeds and
fertilizers was drastically reduced due to financial constraints.
Low maize production in many areas was because of a shortage of
seeds - retained seed is often eaten after a poor season.
- Large numbers of livestock were sold at greatly reduced
prices when food shortages were extreme from early 2002, as families
were desperate for cash to buy maize and other food.
- From August 2001, maize prices rose sharply - a reflection
of the serious maize shortage and slow arrival of imports. Price
increases severely curtailed access to food by a large section
of the population.
| How
is the crisis affecting the people of Malawi? |
- From December until the next harvest, most rural
farmers must buy maize on the market, as household supplies
have been exhausted
Last year, most farmers had to start purchasing from Oct/Nov,
when cash is scarce, at very high prices
- Reliance on the markets is expected to begin even
earlier this year
- Current maize prices are still 60 percent above
the price this time last year
It is feared that even the minimum commercial price in 2002
will be beyond what the poorest 50 percent of the population
can afford
- More than 65 percent of Malawians live below the poverty
line, making it one of the poorest countries in the
world
- Malawi is a land-locked country, with poor infrastructure
connecting it to major ports. This has a direct effect on
commodity availability and prices
- More than 80 percent of Malawians are directly engaged
in agricultural activities for their main livelihoods
However plot sizes are very small, fertile land for small-scale
farming is limited, and farming systems are basic. The percentage
of cropland under maize is disproportionately high (75 percent)
considering its drought prone nature
- Very high rates of chronic stunting and malnutrition
- Very high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (19.5 percent
average)
Direct linkages between household food security and HIV/AIDS,
including loss of able-bodied labour and income, increased
expenditure on health care and funerals, adoption of orphans
by the elderly, child-headed households
HIV/AIDS will continue to have a severe effect on rural
Malawian's food security
- There was a humanitarian crisis last year due to low
production and extremely high maize prices, leaving
many farmers without enough food, particularly from Nov-April
Malnutrition rates soared and there were some deaths
due to lack of food and stretching of coping capacities.
As a result, farmers are entering the coming year in a very
precarious state; successive years of stress will
compound food insecurity in the next 12 months
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It is expected that the number of people searching for
casual labour/piece-meal work, will increase, leading
to a decline in both opportunities and the daily payment
rates
Some farmers who normally employ others to work on their
farms, have had to seek labor opportunities themselves
- Rampant theft of cassava and maize has been widely
reported, which has a negative effect on social cohesion
and community trust, as well as long term food security
- Goat prices dropped from the normal price of 400 MK to
150 MK last year
Livestock sales are indicative of stress; the sale
of livestock to meet food needs in one year, leaves less
for potential sale in a successive stress year, eg the evolving
2001/2 scenario
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Other households have sold assets like cooking
materials, farm tools, etc. In some parts of the country,
there has been out migration from one district to another
as people searched for work or food
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Skipping meals or eating unknown, sometimes poisonous
wild roots, have also been widely reported
- ll these negative/distress coping strategies can be expected
over the coming year without major humanitarian assistance
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| WFP Response |
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WFP has had an emergency
operation in Malawi since February 2001, which started as a response
to the floods
Assistance for flood victims suffering from subsequent crop loss continued
throughout last year, and into 2002 |
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In March 2002, WFP was
already helping 300,000 people affected by severe food shortages
Food from development projects was used as a part of the response
For example, this included food aid for vulnerable groups of people,
including malnourished mothers and children, attending nutritional
rehabilitation centers in hospitals |
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In May, while awaiting
the results of the food/crop assessment missions, WFP approved a US$3.1
million emergency operation to increase the number of people with
food aid for the next 4 months
This operation bridges the period until the new regional southern
Africa emergency operation is launched in early July |
| Hunger timetable:
Malawi |
| Period (2002-2003)
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People in need of
food aid |
| June-Aug 02 |
545,000 |
| Sept-Nov 02 |
2,150,000 |
Dec 02-
Mar 03 |
3,200,000 |
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Total
food aid needed:
207,687 metric tonnes |
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