Attachments
In Numbers
- 1,616 mt of maize distributed
- US$ 1.8 million in cash-based transfers distributed
- US$ 67.3 million six-month net funding requirements for (October 2024 – March 2025)
Operational Updates
El Niño Response: WFP is working with Government of Malawi to address food shortages. The 2024/2025 El Niño lean season response began in mid-September, with WFP securing resources for two months in targeted districts. General food distributions have commenced in districts facing the longest food gaps (five to six months), mainly in southern Malawi.
WFP plans to reach 600,000 people during the first month of distributions and aims to assist over 2 million of the 5.7 million people facing acute food insecurity during the lean season (October 2024 to March 2025), with the remainder being supported by the Government.
Nutrition: Between January and August 2024, there has been a 43 percent increase in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and an 82 percent rise in moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). WFP is supporting the Ministry of Health in managing MAM in Blantyre, Chikwawa, Machinga, and Nsanje districts, targeting children under 5. In September, WFP supported 2,071 children under 5 with MAM.
School Meals: WFP provides meals to children in selected public primary schools and early childhood development centers. Along with the Ministry of Education, WFP organised a technical committee meeting for the EUfunded Healthy Future 2 programme (Tsogolo La Thanzi) to update the EU on lessons learned, challenges, and plans for the next quarter.
Livelihoods: WFP is supporting 31,600 households (142,200 individuals) with monthly conditional cash transfers for six months (July – December 2024) under its food assistance-for-assets programme in Chikwawa, Nsanje, and Phalombe districts. In September, WFP reached all targeted households with cash distributions totalling USD 900,000, with each household receiving USD 28 for work completed. The cash will help households buy food during the lean season.
Food Systems: WFP is implementing a multiyear project aimed at value chain and market system development of sesame, cowpeas and sorghum to enhance both nutrition diversification and economic resilience for the rural poor in drought and flood-prone districts: Chikwawa, Dedza, Karonga, Mangochi, Nsanje, Phalombe and Salima. A comprehensive value chain analysis is in progress, with the final report expected by the end of 2024.