Humanitarian assistance for food insecure areas is fully funded
Key Messages
Maize staple is readily available in most households. Average national prices for maize have remained stable and prices in October were significantly lower than they were during the same period last year. Despite this maize prices are still 135 percent higher than the 5-year average. Nonetheless, these recent stable price trends are sustaining household food access and contributing to Minimal (IPC Phase 1) acute food insecurity outcomes across most of the country.
Humanitarian assistance for food insecure households has been fully funded and is planned to be implemented in the south from December 2014 to March 2015 and in the north from January to March. In the presence of this assistance, households in food insecure areas in the south are expected to experience Minimal acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 1!) once assistance is underway at the end of this year. The same outcomes are expected for households in the north from January to March.
According to updated forecasts provided by the Malawi Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), the country is experiencing some delays to the start of the season because most parts of the country has not yet received main planting rains. The late start of season will reduce availability of agricultural labor that provides livelihood alternatives for poor households.
