By Ireen Kayira
Lilongwe, March 3, Mana: Action Aid Malawi has a launched a policy brief on food security which among others explores how the country can manage the food situation.
Speaking with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday in Lilongwe during the virtual launch, Action Aid Executive Director, Clement Banda said the policy brief was done at regional level to reflect on the hunger situation that has been experienced over the years at regional level particularly in Malawi.
He said the policy has mainly looked at how climate change was affecting the food situation in the region as well as the Covid-19 impacts in the food situation and general commitments that government has towards agriculture.
“This study was done in reference to the Covid-19 situation and hunger situation in general, you will recall that we have suffered climate related shocks within the region at it is this year that we haven’t had serious floods though in some parts we’ve had flush floods,” Banda said.
He said among other commitments that the policy has focused include the Maputo declaration were government committed to invest at least 10 percent of the annual budget towards agriculture and those that encourage governments to invest in agriculture to achieve zero hunger situation.
Banda said Action Aid was looking forward to stakeholders to engage in the recommendations that have been put in place.
“We are committed to reviewing and reflecting how far government will have implemented the recommendations,” the Executive Director said.
One of the participants, Pamela Kuwali said the report is important because it highlights the impact of Covid-19 and food security and how policy was responding to gender issues and those who are venerable.
“What we are hoping is that it is not going to end here but we are going to look at it again as they are planning ,making decisions regarding the agriculture budget ,how to support women and issues of resilience especially when they are planning for the next AIP,” she said.
