China feeds Karonga with 2 000 bags rice: ‘Don’t abuse donation’, locals warned
The Peoples Republic of China have donated over 2 000 bags of rice to the people of Karonga following Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) 2017 report that projected that 20 of the 28 districts in the country will experience hard-hitting food shortages.
Karonga, a lakeshore district in the northern region which has persistently been hit by floods, was part of the 20 districts in the report.
Through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) Karonga food insecure households received 2 700 bags of parboiled rice.
According to chief relief and rehabilitation officer at DODMA, Fyaupi Mwafongo, while they intended to distribute the relief food in February and March they have delayed due to some logistical challenges.
In Karonga, people in the areas of Mpata and Lupembe have been chosen to benefit from the donation where over 2,700 family households equalling 14,800 people will benefit from the relief items.
“This response was supposed to be done between February and March but now here we are in March although the food is yet to be distributed. There are several reasons why we are doing this late,” said Mwafongo.
He said due to delay of logistics the rice which was supposed to be given in two 25 kilogram rations over February and March will be dispersed at the same time.
“We have already made arrangements of the transportation of the rice to Karonga, we will just be waiting for the council through their communities to do their work in identifying the beneficiaries in the area,” he added.
But Mwafongo warned the beneficiaries “not to abuse the donation.”
He said: “Don’t sell this rice at the market. It will create a bad picture to potential donors.”
Karonga District Agriculture Development Officer (DADO), Raphael Mkisi, thanked the Chinese government for the donation.
He said the two areas of Mpata and Lupembe were badly hit by food shortages due to drought and full army worms hence the food insecurity.
In total 3, 048 metric tonnes of rice will be distributed across the 10 districts which according to the MVAC report, were severely hit of the 20 districts.
The other districts are Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Mangochi, Nkhotakota, Ntcheu, Mzimba, Rumphi, Kasungu and Nkhatabay. 335, 341 people will benefit, representing 60, 971 households.
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