Govt starts distribution of maize

By Robert Kumwenda

As the country is experiencing acute shortage of the country’s staple food maize due to floods and erratic rains in the last growing season government has started distributing maize in the lower shire.

The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr George Chaponda said this during the official opening of the 13th Agriculture fair in Blantyre.

Previously, there has been a war of words between government and other quarters of the society who were blaming government for not doing enough to fears that the country is at risk of facing hunger due to floods and prolonged dry spells dry spells that affected most parts of the country.

Though government responded that maize is available in its grain reserve but maize remained in available and inaccessible on the market a development that led to increase in its price by the private traders.

Earlier this year in February Dr George Chaponda assured Malawians that government was aware that people do not have enough food to take them to the next growing season, in response to that he said government will buy maize from Ukraine, Brazil, United States of America and Zambia to ensure that people should not suffer.

“Government will ensure that no one dies of hunger as the President said that is why we are buying maize from other countries and we have started distributing to those that are in need of it in the lower shire and we will continue to other parts of the country,” he said.

Contrary to what government is saying maize remains scarce on the market such that people are finding it difficult to access it because its price is very high.

Dr George Chaponda also said studies that were done in 2008 revealed that 30% of maize will be lost in southern Africa by the year 2030 due to the effects of climate change.

He, therefore said government is doing a number of initiatives such as giving incentives to promote the private investors to invest in the country.
The further said that the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), public works, school feeding programme and cash transfer scheme will continue.

“Government has also approved the National Agriculture and Irrigation Policies that will be launched by the president in October. There is also a project that will create 1 million jobs for the youth and some youth will be send to Israel to work formally so that when they come back they should impart the skills to fellow youth,” He said.

Over 30 million people are at-risk of facing hunger in Southern Africa due floods and prolonged dry spells that affected most parts in the region and Malawi is the worst hit country with over eight million people that are in need of food aid.