By Salome Gangire

Neno, December 5, Mana:  European Union (EU) has allocated MK648, 480,000 to support 3,088 Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) beneficiary households in Neno, who will each receive MK70, 000 per month for three months under the Lean Season Response Programme to purchase food items.

Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) Principal Disaster Preparedness Officer, Zione Viyazyi, speaking during a council meeting on Thursday, explained that the funds represent a vertical expansion of the SCTP.

She said beneficiaries will receive a total of MK210, 000 in a lump sum for the three-month period on top of their monthly stipend, after which payments will revert to regular amounts.

“This once-off payment is designed to help households purchase food items during the lean season,” said Viyazyi, adding that the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report identifies 5,692,122 people across 28 districts and four cities as requiring food assistance for three to six months during the 2024/25 consumption year.

 In Neno alone, 13,869 households are affected of which 3,088 households are under the SCTP and will be receiving cash transfers instead of maize.

The remaining households will continue receiving 50-kilogram bags of maize under the programme, which began in October, according to DoDMA.

Viyazyi said that the 2024/25 Lean Season Food Insecurity Plan, developed by DoDMA in collaboration with humanitarian partners, is guiding resource mobilization and response coordination tool as government is leading the response with support from development partners and humanitarian organizations.

She added that food assistance in Neno will be delivered through two modalities: cash transfers for SCTP beneficiaries and in-kind maize distribution for others.

Viyazyi also noted that district officers, alongside health surveillance assistants, will conduct community sensitization and provide nutritional services.

Traditional Authority Mlauli expressed gratitude to the EU and the government for their support, stating the programme has significantly alleviated food insecurity in the district.

He, however, urged the government to increase the number of beneficiaries, citing widespread food insecurity in the area.