Close to 2 million farming households affected by floods and prolonged dry spells prompting Chakwera to declares State of Disaster in 23 districts

* Specifically, 749,113 hectares of maize have been affected, representing 44.3% of the national crop area

* Other important crops like rice, soya beans, cowpeas and groundnuts have also been affected

By Duncan Mlanjira

After physical assessment of state of affairs following inadequate rains, floods and prolonged dry spells that have been experienced across the country due to El Niño conditions, President Lazarus Chakwera has declared a State of Disaster in 23 whose crops were severely damaged.

In his national address last night, Chakwera said government’s preliminary assessment indicates that close to 2 million farming households have been affected — and specifically, 749,113 hectares of maize have been affected, representing 44.3% of the national crop area.

He further said other important crops like rice, soya beans, cowpeas and groundnuts have also been affected — which will be shown in the full report from the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) when it comes out.

On this basis, the President has invoked Section 37(1) of the Disaster Risk Management Act (2023), to declare the State of Disaster in the 23 districts of Nsanje, Chikwawa, Blantyre, Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe, Chiradzulu, Zomba, Machinga, Mangochi, Balaka, Mwanza, Neno, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Ntcheu, Salima, Dowa, Dedza, Ntchisi, Kasungu, Nkhotakota and Karonga.

“Over the past 12 months, I have been conducting a tour of the country, visiting as many districts as possible from Nsanje to Chitipa and from Mchinji to Likoma Island, to see for myself how Malawians are faring against the harsh blows of climate change,” he said.

“One clear message I have heard from Malawians in all three regions of our country is that even though Government has distributed a lot of food to reduce food insecurity, there is still a significant number of Malawians who do not have enough food.

“As a case in point, when I heard last month that parts of the Northern Region that had experienced dry spells a year ago were once again suffering the effects of El Niño weather this year, I went there to assess the situation, and in the displacement camps I visited, food insecurity was number one the list of needs.

“As an immediate relief, I ordered the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) to provide emergency food items to those camps, but the people there had already told me that the food insecurity extends beyond the camps.”

He added that he directed the Ministry of Agriculture to work with other agencies such as the Department of Climate Change & Meteorological Services, the United Nations, DoDMA and District Councils to establish just how many places were experiencing dry spells and how many Malawians were in need of relief to evaluate the full extent and impact of El Niño conditions.

“This is devastating,” he said. “It would have been devastating enough if this was the first disaster to befall us in recent times. But unfortunately, in the four years that I have been your President, this is the fourth time I have had to declare a State of Disaster.

“As you will recall, following the disasters of 2022 and 2023, I ordered the distribution of food assistance to food insecure households, as well as the intensification of irrigation farming under the Greenbelt Initiative and the Mega Farm Programme.

“The irrigation strategy alone has been targeting 54,720 hectares that require K46.97 billion to cover seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural infrastructure, and solar pumps — but before these measures have had a chance to take hold and yield fruit, we find ourselves here, hit by another disaster.

“What I saw recently in Nkhotakota and Karonga districts is simply heart breaking. The floods that were triggered by heavy rains have resulted in loss of lives and injuries, damage to homes, household property and public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water points and schools, just to name but a few.

“Of the 17,033 households affected in these two districts, over 70% were displaced and forced into camps where they require constant support in terms of food, non-food items, restoration of service delivery, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.

“But like I said, in all 23 districts where I am declaring a State of Disaster today, the most urgent need is food because of the large number of people at risk of hunger.

“Accordingly, I am calling on all Malawians of goodwill, both here at home and abroad, all our development partners, the international community, all relevant United Nations Agencies, the World Bank, non-governmental organizations, the local private sector, Members of Parliament, and all those who have any resources in cash or kind to spare, to avail those resources as donations to the Presidential Initiative to Stop Hunger, which will be coordinated by my office through DoDMA.

“Our initial estimate is that close to 600,000 metric tonnes of maize valued at K357.6 billion will be required for this humanitarian response programme.”

He thus appealed to well-wishers to channel their donations in cash or in kind to the Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, P/Bag 336, Lilongwe 3.

He concluded by saying: “Fellow Malawians, there is no one in this country who is at fault for any of the disasters that keep coming against us. But if we stand united and put away the politics of pettiness and negativity to confront this latest disaster, there is no one in this country who should die because of hunger.

“So let us once again show the world the greatness we are capable of as a people when we stand together as one nation.”