BLANTYRE – MALAWI: The Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organisations (MANEPO) successfully implemented the 2024/2025 El Nino Food Insecurity Response Programme. The initiative aimed to provide relief to households affected by El Nino weather conditions during the 2023/2024 farming season.
The programme was a response to the National El Niño Response Appeal, which sought to mobilize resources for food production and humanitarian assistance.
According to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), over 5.6 million people in 28 districts required food aid for up to six months due to severe food insecurity.
The World Food Programme (WFP) played a crucial role in coordinating food security efforts through the EL Nino Response programme. In Blantyre district, 46,311 households were projected to be food insecure between October 2023 and March 2024. To address this, WFP collaborated with local partners; MANEPO and CICOD, to implement the response plan in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA).
The programme involved distributing cash and food to affected households. The cash distribution exercise, conducted from September 26 to October 15, 2024, successfully reached 17,490 beneficiaries. Additionally, a food distribution exercise was carried out in two phases, providing white and yellow maize to 17,490 households. The first phase ran from October 31 to December 5, 2024, while the second phase occurred from February to March 2025, ensuring all targeted households received food assistance.
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the timely support, highlighting the programme’s positive impact on their lives. Leah Joseph, a 74-year-old beneficiary, praised the programme for empowering older persons and people with disabilities.
Another beneficiary, Stanford, 78, noted that the programme had made their lives better, but emphasized the need for continued support.
The successful implementation of the El Nino food insecurity response programme demonstrates the effectiveness of collaborative efforts between organizations like World Food Programme and other local partners such as MANEPO in addressing food insecurity and supporting vulnerable communities.
