Irish Aid, the Government’s programme for oversees development managed by its Department of Foreign Affairs will expand funding to subsidize seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers and increase maize production for families at risk of hunger in Malawi. The Belfast Telegraph states, “The cash will also improve infant and maternal nutrition by supporting research to provide high-quality, disease-free seeds for mothers and young children.”
Peter Power, Ireland’s Minister of State for Overseas Development, advocates “Since the national agricultural programme was introduced in 2006 in response to the food crisis in Malawi, the number of people needing food aid has fallen from more than five million to fewer than 150,000.” These measures have allowed Malawi to move from being a net importer of maize to a net exporter, a critical step taken towards goals of eventual economic self-sufficiency.
However, Malawi faces further challenges as more than 50% of the country remains below the poverty line.
Posted by Patricia Lee.
