Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has assured 6 836 families in hard-to-reach areas in Mangochi District that they will receive relief maize during the lean season. Dodma director of preparedness and response Charles Matabwa said this on Saturday at Malawi Lake Services in Monkey Bay, Mangochi, when MV Viphya dispatched 341 metric tonnes of maize meant for the district. The maize will be distributed to remote communities in traditional authorities (T/As) Hamisi Makanjira, Lulanga, Makanjira and Chilawe in the district.
“We are doing everything possible to explore ways of reaching affected people in hard-to-reach areas. We are using water transport, just as we have done in Zomba Chisi Island and Likoma, to ensure that targeted households are reached,” said Matabwa. He said the initiative is part of government’s 2025/26 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme, which targets vulnerable households facing acute food shortages.
Mangochi district commissioner Rodney Simwaka said about 65 percent of the relief food distribution exercise has been completed. He said that the district remains committed to reaching all beneficiaries in due course. He said: “The food distribution exercise is progressing well.
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It is only in a few areas, for example, in Lungwena Extension Planning Area (EPA) and other areas along the lake, where we are yet to reach due to mobility challenges. But we will reach them.” Malawi Lake Services chief executive officer Joseph Sheketeni Banda assured the public of the company’s commitment to delivering the maize on time to ensure that targeted beneficiaries receive assistance without delay. “We have the capacity to reach all people who have mobility challenges whose only remedy is by means of water transport,” he said.
At least 6 836 households from the four T/As are expected to receive a bag each weighing 50 kilogrammes. Dodma is targeting 63 602 households with relief food in Mangochi District.
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