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Hoping for the Best, Preparing for the Worst

The war in Ukraine is having a global impact, and Malawi has not been spared. Both Ukraine and Russia are major producers of fertilizer that is used heavily in Malawi, where nearly 80% of the population live in rural areas and are subsistence farmers.

Before the war, the price of fertilizer in Malawi was roughly $30 per 100-pound bag, which was already too much for the average farmer in our service area. After the war began, the price rose to an unfathomable $70 a bag.

The result: Thousands of the families we serve were left without fertilizer, which means their harvest in June/July will be insufficient to feed their families despite this year’s good rains.

One woman was heard on her farm crying out, “We are appealing to anyone who will listen to us! This year is going to be bad. Just look at my farm. I don’t know what to do. Please help us!”

Pamoza has a plan, but it’s going to take careful preparation and funds. We will:

  1. Buy corn before prices rise.
  2. Treat, store, and secure the corn against theft.
  3. Sell the corn at subsidized prices to families facing food insecurity so they don’t have to buy it from over-priced vendors.

Funds from sales will be reinvested into Pamoza’s food security programs. If we don’t act, vendors will follow the same plan except when families start to run out of food, they will sell the corn at exorbitant prices, making it difficult for families who are already struggling. 

Based on our initial calculations, we estimate that 3,000 families will face severe food insecurity in our service area.

Please consider making a special gift today to support our food relief effort. Checks can be made out to Pamoza and mailed to P.O. Box 23804, Philadelphia PA 19143 or you can donate online here.

 

Posted 3/5/2023