Famine Mitigation Follow-up

Malawi, particularly its southern and lakeshore areas, is in the grip of widespread food shortages after a prolonged dry spell. The food crisis caused by poor agricultural production following the persisted drought in the 2004/05 growing seasons have dramatically increased prices of maize, leaving many poor households in a vulnerable situation.

A Malawi ACT Forum assessment in October 2005 (done by Christian Aid) clearly found that the food shortage was wider than what was planned in the current ACT Appeal AFMW51. The survey also complemented the findings in the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee.

The country is currently passing through a critical food shortage, save the current assistance through WFP and the ACT pipelines. Both of these pipelines were planned to run up to the end of March 2006. By this time, the majority of the people will not have harvested their crop. Thus, ACT members in Malawi believe that ending food aid interventions at this time will put the crop at a great threat of being prematurely consumed. Other disasters such as army worms attacks and floods experienced during the current appeal AFMW-51 have adversely affected many households. These are among the reasons that prompted ACT Malawi members - Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Development Department of Synod of Livingstonia, Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Blantyre Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Development Programme (ELDP), Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) and Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD), to revise and extend the current Appeal.

Name of ACT member/partner:

• Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Development Department of Synod of Livingstonia
• Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Blantyre Synod
• Evangelical Lutheran Development Programme (ELDP)
• Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM)
• Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD)

Project Completion Date: 31 July 2006

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested