The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) has pledged continued support to the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) in its efforts to provide assistance to food-insecure Malawians.
SCIAF Programme Officer Chris MacLullich said the Fund is aware of the challenges that Malawians have had, particularly in the rural areas, as a result of the Cyclones last year and the year before and this year with El Nino.
MacLullich made the sentiments in Zomba when Bishop of the Diocese of Zomba announced that the Scottish Government has, through SCIAF, provided a £250, 000 (approximately MK452 million) grant to the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) also known as Caritas Malawi to implement a food crisis project.
Through the project, CADECOM is disbursing cash transfers amounting to MK100, 000 each to 4, 520 households in the districts of Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe, Zomba, Machinga, Karonga, Dedza, Nkhotakota, Dowa and Mzimba.
MacLullich said the SCIAF is aware that ‘the harvest this year is looking quite thin’, which means majority of Malawians will face hunger yet again.
“So we know that many people anticipate a food crisis later this year. So, while I can see at the stages that we will watch it closely, and SCIAF will do everything we can to continue to support the people of Malawi,” he said.
However, MacLullich advised the government and its stakeholders to continue supporting the farmers to diversify away from overreliance on rain-fed agriculture.
“I think, because much of the Malawian food that’s produced within Malawi is rain fed. It’s very important for us to continue to support Malawians to diversify the food that they’re producing and to introduce irrigation as possible so that they are able to produce food for a longer period throughout the year. I think that’s key to supporting food security through all of the months of the year,” he said.
In his remarks, Chaima, who is also Bishop Chairman for CADECOM, thanked the Scottish Government for the financial support, stressing that the support will go a long way in alleviating the plight of hunger-stricken families in the targeted districts.
His Lordship assured that the resources would be used for the intended purposes.
But Bishop Chaima was quick to point out that the church is devising measures for ensuring that the beneficiaries do not become dependent.
