German Ambassador impressed with WFP works in Blantyre
The German Ambassador to Malawi, Jurgen Borsch has expressed satisfaction with the progress that World Food Programme (WFP) is making in addressing hunger in Blantyre.
Borsch made the remark when he visited Mposa Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Lundu in Blantyre where he inspected afforestation, irrigation, food distribution, soil and water conservation, and community access road construction projects being implemented by WFP through partners on Saturday.
“It is such a difference sitting in Lilongwe in a meeting and talking about the humanitarian situation. It’s such a difference to what it is when you are here to see the immediate effects on the beneficiaries.
“It’s not only about the immediate relief or the humanitarian assistance, it is about enabling people to have their future in their own hands,” Borsch said at the end of the visit.
On his part, the District Commissioner (DC) for Blantyre, Bennet Nkasala thanked the German Government for the financial support.
“Thank you for the support. What is important is to sustain the activities that are being carried out, especially the integrated water shed management as the partners will leave at the end of the project,” said Nkasala.
Food for Assets (FFA) programme is a combined recovery and development activity designed to support communities in reducing their vulnerability to disaster and chronic food insecurity through the creation and maintenance of productive community assets such as feeder roads, dams, woodlot, seed nurseries and irrigation schemes.
In exchange for their work in these projects, community participants are given food or cash as it is a lean season.
World Food Programme is implementing these activities with part funding from the German Government based on the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report of May 2016 that said that at least 6.5 million people in 24 districts estimated to experience acute food insecurity in Malawi.
The food being distributed is not from Government of Malawi. Malawi Government does not use UN systems to support people. So no politics here about donors, they are following their resources .
What are you talking about? The maize that is being distributed by WFP is Malawi Government maize drawn from SGR. The so called donors are only providing logistical costs. I am told WFP were funded K13 billion by Malawi Government, can WFP account for this money by transparently tell the citizens what quantities they bought with this money and where is the maize? How much have they drawn from the SGR? How much money have they chewed so far? Let all donations from the donors benefit Malawians instead of a bigger chunk being abused by the donors themselves through WFP… Read more »
Impressed me also.