MALAWI (19 May)
A vulnerability assessment by the national Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) and a Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission by the FAO and WFP completed their field work in mid-May and are finalizing their reports. The preliminary findings indicate that the harvest of maize, the country’s staple food crop, will be around 1.7 million tonnes or about 15 percent below the previous year’s about normal harvest. Delayed, erratic and generally inadequate rainfall especially in the southern half of the country was responsible for this decline. Good rainfall during February to April especially in the northern half helped most crops. Maize prices in most markets have slowed down their usual post-harvest decline and are even beginning to rise in certain markets. Mozambican maize was seen transported into southern Malawi indicating significant cross-border informal trade activity.
The VAC has identified the most affected Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) within various Livelihood Zones. No firm results are yet available. Distribution of maize stocks held centrally by the government food marketing agency, Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC), was halted due to near complete exhaustion of its stocks. The National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) currently holds about 7 000 tonnes of maize as part of its strategic grain reserve and has issued tenders to acquire additional 28 000 tonnes of maize, funded by the EU, locally and/or from neighbouring countries. ADMARC has now been mandated to operate as a commercial company buying and selling maize and other agricultural commodities for profit. Private traders interviewed by the mission are unsure of the Government’s subsidization policies and are, therefore, taking a “wait and see” attitude before engaging in maize trading.