The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Food price hikes push the poor to the brink of hunger in Malawi, warns WFP.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is seriously concerned about the soaring food prices that are pushing the poor to the brink of hunger in the landlocked Southern African country. With nearly 400,000 Malawians already food insecure due to floods and droughts and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, “Malawi’s challenges are now further exacerbated by the effects of the Ukraine crisis” said WFP Spokesperson Tomson Phiri today, in a press briefing in Geneva.
Fifty percent of the Malawian population is already living in poverty, on less than USD 2 a day, prior to these price hikes. The disruption of global key cereals supplies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February is pushing up fuel, fertilizer, and food prices globally, hitting hard the most vulnerable populations. “The price of bread has increased by 50 percent in the last three months”, emphasized Mr Phiri, “interviews with bakery owners reveal that the retail price of a 50kg bag of wheat flour has risen by 42 percent since the onset of the Ukraine crisis.”
WFP is partnering with the Government of Malawi to address the dire situation, including emergency food assistance and cash-based transfers, nutritional support, supply chain and logistics initiatives, and resilience-building. In an intent to reduce the impact of inflation, Tomson Phiri explained the Government of Malawi removed the Value Added Tax (VAT) on some of its commodities since 01 April, but “prices for commodities such as cooking oil, have increased by over 300% since November 2020,” he pointed out.
Food insecurity is endemic in Malawi, affecting up to 38% of the population every year in the run-up to the harvest in April. On average, the WFP assists 1.5 million people each year in Malawi. The agency was forced to reduce assistance to the 400’000 people in need of food last year due to climate shocks, by providing 75 percent of a normal ration size. Similarly, 46,000 refugees have been receiving 50 to 75 percent ration since May 2019. In order to reduce the funding gap, Tomson Phiri said “we need USD 2.9 million now, to be able to provide about 22’500 families affected by floods, for three months. We also need an additional USD 3.4 million to continue providing food assistance to 48’000 refugees and asylum seekers at a full food ration” from August to December 2022.
The fragile country of 19 million remains one of the poorest countries in the world despite making significant economic and structural reforms to sustain economic growth (World Bank).
ends
-
- Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
- Cutaway: Wide shot, Press room, UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Tomson Phiri, Spokesperson of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): “United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is seriously concerned about the soaring food prices pushing the poor to the brink of hunger in Malawi.”
- Cutaway: medium shot journalists taking notes
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Tomson Phiri, Spokesperson of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): “WFP assessment has found that these challenges are now further exacerbated by the effects of the Ukraine Crisis. 50 percent of Malawi’s population is already living in poverty, on less than USD2 a day, prior even to these price hikes.”
- Cutaway: close lateral shot of Mr Phiri
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Tomson Phiri, Spokesperson of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): “The price of bread has increased by 50 percent in the last three months. Interviews with bakery owners reveal that the retail price of a 50kg bag of wheat flour has risen by 42 percent since the onset of the Ukraine crisis.”
- Cutaway: close shot of hands typing on keyboard
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Tomson Phiri, Spokesperson of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): “the Government of Malawi has removed the Value Added Tax (VAT) on some of his commodities since 01 April. But prices for commodities such as cooking oil, have increased by over 300% since November 2020”.
- Cutaway: close shot journalists in the press conference room
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Tomson Phiri, Spokesperson of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): “We need USD 2.9 million now, to be able to provide about 22’500 families who are affected by floods with assistance. We also need an additional USD 3.4 million to continue providing vital food assistance in the form of unconditional cash to refugees and asylum seekers at a full food ration.”
- Various: medium lateral shot of speakers at podium
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WFP
Aid agencies warned on Friday of the fast-developing humanitarian emergency inside Taiz City in Yemen, which has been encircled by de facto Houthi forces fighting government troops along the country’s west coast.
2
17
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences , Images | OCHA , WMO
Two UN agencies teamed up on Wednesday to issue an appeal for immediate assistance to help communities already being impacted by the strongest El Niño on record.
3
16
2
2
Edited News , B-roll , Conferences , Images | UNITED NATIONS , UNOG
Sixth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for Sudan
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , UNHCR
Yemen war continues to force families from homes amid hunger and disease
More than 250,000 people have now fled renewed fighting in Yemen, the UN said on Tuesday, citing particular concern for those sheltering in the southwestern city of Taiz and the wider governorate, where access is “essentially blocked”.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
A little over one year since a ceasefire agreement was announced between Hamas fighters and Israel, more than 340 children have been reported killed and hundreds more injured, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , IFRC
Six weeks after Nepal’s deadly flooding disaster, communities are still struggling to rebuild their lives, but they will need sustained help as global warming increases the risk of another Himalayan catastrophe, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
In suspected Russia plague death, testing and monitoring underway – WHO
The death of a lab worker in Russia’s Siberia region has sparked concerns about plague being the cause, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, adding that it was following the situation closely.
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday provided and oral update to the 63rd session of the Human rights Council on Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday provided and oral update to the 63rd session of the Human rights Council on the human rights situation in Haiti.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Repeated delays in bringing lifesaving medicines, prosthetics and more from Israel into Gaza risk having devastating consequences on Palestinians who urgently need them in the wartorn enclave, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. “A truck full of non-priority supplies or the right supplies arriving too late, doesn't save lives. That's the question that actually matters," said Dr Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the OPT.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC: Early access to care and oxygen decisive for Ebola patients’ survival – WHO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), health workers fighting the country’s largest-ever Ebola outbreak are struggling to overcome critical challenges to patient care, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UN
Civilians in Iran are continuing to feel the consequences of months of conflict and military escalation, the UN’s top official in the country has said, as loss of life, damage to civilian infrastructure and mounting economic pressures leave many facing continued uncertainty.