Malawi, a country faced by food shortage has banned maize imports from Kenya and Tanzania over concerns that the spread of maize lethal necrosis disease could wipe out the staple food.
The Malawian Ministry of Agriculture disclosed that the disease has no treatment and can cause up to 100 percent yield loss. The statement said maize can be imported to Malawi only after it is milled, either as flour or grit.
Henry Kamkwamba, an agriculture expert with the International Food Policy Research Institute, said that they cannot allow such food into the country because it will cause irreversible damage.
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“Think of how we lost all of our traditional bananas in the past and now Malawi is a net importer of bananas … due to our lax policies in terms of imports. There are these similar concerns with maize.”
Currently, Malawi is facing food shortage in the country and despite that fact, they have prevented imports from the two countries which have been the primary suppliers of food to Malawi in situations like these.
According to World Food Program (WFP) in Malawi and the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee estimate that 4.4 million people will face food shortage up to March next year but they have opted to import maize from South Africa instead.
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“If we really don’t have enough food, then we are creating another unnecessary maize [price] increase. South Africa is quite a distance and they don’t have enough. It will be expensive. But that’s the option.
However, the government of Malawi has said that the Maize imports ban is temporary as they look for alternatives and other preventive measures to combat the spread of maize lethal necrosis disease before they resume business with Kenya and Tanzania.