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A comprehensive review of stakeholders response to the 2005/2006 food insecurity in Malawi

Malawi

European Commission in Malawi

Malawi Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security

At the end of January 2005, Malawi experienced a prolonged dry spell of between 2-6 weeks. Unfortunately, the prolonged dry spell occurred at a critical period for maize and other crops. This, combined with a number of other possible factors, led to the lowest crop production for the past 10 years, which has affected food availability in Malawi, as well as a reduction in incomes, caused mainly by low tobacco production and prices. The food that ordinary people were unable to access was estimated by the June Malawian Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) to be between 269,000 MT – 440,000 MT depending on the price of maize, and was predicted to affect between 4.2- and 4.6 million Malawians. The GoM and stakeholders based in Malawi responded to the situation in April and continued actions throughout 2005/6. A UN Flash Appeal at the end of August helped to bring in further financial pledges from donors. The assistance, either in kind or in cash, were used for four main types of interventions. These were: 1) Food Aid 2) Nutritional support 3) Safety net activities 4) Input subsidies for the 2005/6 agricultural season The global objective is to comprehensively review stakeholders response to the 2005 /6 food insecurity in Malawi and to make recommendations as to how stakeholders might better respond to future interventions. The evaluation should also provide an authoritative and duly substantiated record of the events leading up to the crisis, the main causes of the crisis and, most importantly, how the various stakeholders responded to the situation.

Start date: 2006-05-01

End date: 2006-06-30