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.

Lilongwe City Assembly Hail JTI for Rehabilitating Road In Kanengo

Rehabilitateđ róad 

The Lilongwe City Assembly says is impressed with one of Malawi's tobacco buying company, JTI for rehabilitating a 200 metre road at Kanengo Industrial site.

JTI has single-handedly rehabilitated the road which pass by the company's warehouse to a tune of K52 million. The high quality concrete road is conducive for heavy trucks.

Mayor (center)

Deputy Mayor of Lilongwe City, Akwame Bandawe, said when commissioning the road “This attests to the fact that if we can join hands with the private sector, we can make our city a better place to live in” he said

He described this support from JTI as "so colossal" then appealed to other companies to borrow a leaf from JTI and partner with the City Assembly in improving the City’s infrastructure.

Akwame Bandawe 

“The needs of the city are many and yet the resource envelope is too narrow. We expect the private sector to come to our rescue and take part in developing this City. We will as a City Assembly continue to harness a cordial working relationship with the private sector as corporate citizens and of course all the city dwellers in ensuring that we provide utmost good amenities for the people.” he added

The Deputy Mayor however, admitted that the City is failing to carryout its functions and provide services because it lacks resources since a lot of individuals and institutions continue to shun from paying city rates. He disclosed at the event that the city assembly did not respond to JTI request for the City Council's support for the rehabilitation of the project due to financial constraints


“We have a lot of defaulters when it comes to city rates, so it’s a challenge for us to be giving out what we are supposed to be doing because we rely on the same money. So its a challenge now and that is why we are saying that we really need to hold hands when coming with these kinds of developments” said Akwame

Bruce Munthali 

Chief Executive Officer for Tobacco Control Commission (TCC), Bruce Munthali also hailed JTI for such a commendable undertaking.

"This undertaking by JTI is quite commendable because is in line with the government that Tobacco companies should partner with government to ensure that they have expanded corporate social responsibility programmes. So this road construction by JTI definitely goes along way to demonstrate that commitment to government and Malawians that tobacco companies should also undertake such activities.”

Fries Vanneste

Earlier, Fries Vanneste, JTI's Managing Director said the company rehabilitated the road as a way of assisting government development endeavors in ensuring utmost good infrastructure to spar socio-economic development as well to facilitate JTI business processes and enhance safety requirement.

Vanneste said the road was in a very poor state which negatively impacted on their business operations and other companies in Kanengo.

“Due to its sorry state, the road was slippery during the rainy season and therefore not conducive for heavy trucks that ply this road on daily basis.” he said

“As a responsible corporate citizen we felt we had a role to play in ensuring that this road is rehabilitated. We therefore took the initiative to contribute to the city’s infrastructure by repairing this road and create a meaningful and win-win scenario for both the city and our business success.”

He further assured that the company will continue support government development agenda on road infrastructure because as a tobacco buying company understands that it cannot comfortably transport tobacco if the road network is bad.