Mali: More than 1.8 million people need food, nutritional assistance
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maiga, indicated on Monday in Bamako, at the opening of the 18th ordinary session of the National Food Security Council, that more than 1.8 million people need food and nutritional assistance this year in Mali, according to the provisional evaluation of the Early Warning System through the Harmonized Framework.
The 18th session of the National Food Security Council is being held in a particular food and nutritional context marked by factors contributing to food insecurity as a result of various crises, including the COVID-19 health crisis, insecurity, internal displacements, and all of this caused by the poor 2021-2022 agricultural season and an established pastoral lean season.
Another 4.4 million people are moderately food insecure, and need to be supported in restoring their productive capital through support activities in the field of agriculture, market gardening, livestock, fishing, restoration of productive assets and income-generating activities, added the Malian Prime Minister, Maïga.
"It is therefore obvious that this very large number of people in food and nutritional difficulties will mobilize technical and financial resources commensurate with the exceptional volume of increased responses expected for this year 2022," the Prime Minister said, adding that the National Response Plan 2022, will attempt to provide mitigation solutions for nearly 6 million people, and this by bringing coherence to the joint actions of the state and its support partners.
In addition, Mr Maiga announced the implementation of a support response from March in anticipation of the high demand of the month of Ramadan, which will begin in early April.
Faced with the prevailing situation, the National Response Plan calls for the mobilisation of 64,000 tonnes of cereals, according to the Commissariat for Food Security, a state structure that fights against food security and malnutrition.
According to sources, the state will undertake a special operation to support the cereal markets through tax breaks and the marketing of 200,000 tonnes of rice sold at moderate prices by the Office des Produits Agricoles du Mali (OPAM), with the aim of meeting the needs for assistance, with the support of technical and financial partners.
-0- PANA GT/IS/BBA/VAO 22Feb2022
