Govt Commends JTI Leaf For Launching Food Aid Initiative Targeting 3, 500 Households

Allan Chiyembekeza, Fries Vanneste
Handing ovet maize to beneficiary 

Malawi Government hails one of the leading tobacco buying company, JTI for coming up with food humanitarian response program targeting 3, 3500 households across the country. 

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Alllan Chiyembekeza commended the JTI on Wednesday when launching the initiative at Namitete in the area of Traditional Authority Kalolo in Lilongwe.

Beneficiaries from T/A Kalolo

For a period of three months, JTI Drought Relief Program will involve distribution of food ratios to tobacco growers and their dependants even other families who are not in tobacco farming.

Allan Chiyembekeza

Allan Chiyembekeza said this is a welcome idea at this time when up to 3 million Malawians are experiencing hunger due to droughts and floods.

“Well it’s a very welcome idea, remember we have been talking that we are in a crisis, so many people need food and I don’t think Government alone can manage, this is why JTI decided to came forward to assist government on one side to assist by distributing this food to their farmers.’’ Said Chiyembekeza

An old woman, Magene Chisenga from Lemwe village got her first ration at the launch and could not hide her excitement “Am very happy to receive this food.’’

‘’This is like a dream, our eating pattern changed; we would eat today and go without food the next day so the life has been like that, for so many days I and my five grand children have been going to bed without food.” Narrates Chisenga, and continued ‘‘We never knew where we are going to get food but now I know that this night we are going to eat and I am assured that we will eat for the next three months.”

Fries Vanneste 

Speaking at the launch, Managing Director for JTI, Fries Vanneste said their humanitarian response comes after the company’s leaf technicians had made a national wide assessment of the severity of the drought and food situation in communities where JTI buy its tobacco.

“The reason to embark on this project is our contractual relationship we have with the farmers called pure IPS. IPS is not only looking after contracts with the farmer just to buy the tobacco but also looking further on the interests and their wellbeing as farmers and their families.” Said Vanneste

He mentioned that the estimated target of 3, 500 households translates to 24 thousand people beneficiaries who includes the elderly, widows, single-headed families and youths.

According to Vanneste, every month, every household will get one 50kg bag of maize, one 10kg bag of beans and 2 litres of vegetable oil. He also indicated that the project will cost about US$310, 000, involving total of 525 tons of maize and 105 tons of beans.

Up to 89,203 households are estimated to be in hunger in Lilongwe district alone, according to Lilongwe district Principal Administration Officer, Mariette Kadewere. Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report of 2015 indicated that over 2.8 million Malawians requires humanitarian response following adverse weather conditions that the country experienced in early 2015, which resulted in declining production of maize and other food crops across the country.