The Malawi government has allocated K186.8 million towards its poverty alleviation and food security projects in Neno district, where over 10,000 families are expected to benefit.

The government’s allocation is for emergency recovery public works in the district where people will work in road maintenance, fish ponds construction, afforestation, and agricultural activities in four traditional authorities.

The public works are expected to start next week, in the district where hunger is looming.

Speaking when launching the project, District Commissioner for Neno, Hamisi Twabi said “the money has come at a good time when people in the area are facing food shortages due to poor harvest.”

Twabi therefore advised all traditional leaders and other stakeholders in the district to stop politicizing the programme in order for people in the area to fully benefit from it.

He also called on all district stakeholders to work together in order to have quality outcome and let the money trickle down to the vulnerable.

The district’s director of planning and development, Mc Pherson Mwakhwawa told the Malawi News Agency that during the exercise people will be getting K300 per day for 48 days spread over a period of four months.

He also mentioned that the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee Report has earmarked Neno as one of the districts which is affected by acute food shortage, hence the money will also assist people to buy food.

The listed areas are Magaleta, Ligowe, Chifunga, Chididi and Felemu in T/A Mlauli and the whole of T/A Symon area where the vulnerability report indicates that people will face serious food shortage.