Attachments
Key points:
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Negative coping levels reduce across Malawi but remain high for households headed by women
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Maize prices are stable as humanitarian assistance reaches 97 percent of targeted population
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New admissions increase in malnutrition treatment programmes for children, adolescents and adults
Situation Update
In December 2016, humanitarian assistance was delivered to 6.5 million people in the form of in-kind food and cash-based transfers, as per recommendations from the 2016 Food Insecurity Response Plan. However, whilst maize remains at full ration, resource constraints meant that pulses, vegetable oil and their corresponding cash transfers remained at half rations. In December, 21 districts received assistance and in January, Rumphi, Mzimba and Ntchisi will also be included, meaning that all 24 food-insecure districts should receive assistance.
As the cropping season progresses, most areas continue to receive normal rainfall, so the early production outlook is shaping up positively, though yet to be ascertained. The previous two consecutive seasons were poor: 2015/16 was characterized by flooding, and 2016/17 saw prolonged and severe El Niño-induced dryness that decimated maize production.