Attachments
In Numbers
Up to 9 million people in Malawi have been affected by El Niño conditions
USD 81.6 million six-month (June – November 2024) net funding requirements.
52,115 refugees assisted with cash transfers in May 2024
Operational Updates
El Niño Response: WFP aims to provide food assistance to 2.1 million acutely food-insecure people through in-kind assistance and cash-based transfers for the 2024/2025 lean season response.
Refugees: In May 2024, WFP provided rations covering April and May in form of cash-based transfers to 52,115 refugees and asylum seekers at 50 percent ration size. WFP Malawi faces a shortfall in funding for aiding refugees and asylum seekers. USD 4.8 million is required over the next six months (July to December 2024) to assist 53,000 refugees at 100 percent ration.
Nutrition: In May, WFP received funding to support the Government in implementing supplementary feeding in response to El Niño in Blantyre, Chikwawa, Machinga and Nsanje districts from June 2024. WFP will support with the procurement and distribution of 315 mt of corn soya blend to support 17,484 children with moderate acute malnutrition aged 6 to 59 months through the facility level approach.
School feeding: In coordination with Harvard University, WFP presented a preliminary value-for-money report to the Ministry of Education. The report analysed multisectoral costs and benefits of providing nutritious meals to primary school children through the national school feeding programme (SFP) implemented by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Mary’s Meals, Nascent Solutions and WFP.
The analysis found that SFP leads to improved health outcomes such as reductions in cases of stunting and anaemia, SFP beneficiaries achieve on average 11 percent additional years of schooling compared to non-beneficiaries, and that a transition to 100 percent locally procured commodities can increase economic activity and national food self-sufficiency. The Ministry of Education endorsed the report and planned to organise a round table discussion to advocate for more resources.
Livelihoods: WFP is working with farmers to enhance recovery and resilience building towards the impact of El Niño in Malawi. In May, WFP assembled 300 mobile solar irrigation pumps and conducted user trainings on operation and maintenance to promote winter cultivation of crops. The solar pumps will benefit 4,500 smallholder farmers.