Enlightened Christian Gathering-the Jesus Nation Church leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has rolled out this year’s food distribution initiative with a commitment to reach out to one million hunger-stricken people.

Speaking during the launch of the campaign in Ntcheu District on Saturday where the first beneficiaries received some relief maize, he said apart from rice and maize, the initiative will also offer cash handouts.

Bushiri (L) gives a beneficiary a bag of maize

Said Bushiri: “We have a serious food crisis. We had Cyclone Freddy. Not only that, we are also having a drought as we speak. It’s even worse here in Ntcheu.

“Our target this year is not limited. However, with the food items we have now and the cash handouts, the estimated expenditure is K14 billion.”

Bushiri further disclosed that he has secured 17 000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize for the programme that will be conducted countrywide.

In his State of the Nation Address delivered in Parliament on Friday, President Lazarus Chakwera admitted the serious food shortage facing the country.

The President quoted the 2023 Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) which estimates that about 4.4 million people would be unable to meet their annual food requirement, representing close to 22 percent of the population.

Said Chakwera: “With this estimation, the number of people requiring food support has increased by 15 percent from 3.9 million in 2022.”

He said in response, government has also embarked on the lean season response for all the affected people in all the districts, giving each of the affected households a 50 kilogramme [kg] bag of maize every month.

Bushiri’s food distribution is an annual initiative which targets thousands of households.

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