Closing date: Friday, 22 April 2016
Humanitarian Specialist
Location : Lilongwe, MALAWI
Application Deadline : 22-Apr-16 (Midnight New York, USA)
Type of Contract : FTA International
Post Level : P-4
Languages Required : English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
01-Jun-2016
Duration of Initial Contract : 1 Year
Expected Duration of Assignment : 1 Year
Background
The current effects of El Nino in Malawi are the second strongest since 1990. The onset of rains has been delayed throughout most of Malawi. This in turn has led to insufficient moisture for planting in many areas, delaying planting activities, affecting severely key crops, constraining agricultural labour/income-earning opportunities, and will likely delay availability of green maize and other key staple commodities before the usual harvest. According to the first round crop estimates results conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture of Malawi, the maize and legumes production in Malawi will decrease at least 2% and 5% respectively for the rain fed season 2015 -2016 worsening the food availability perspectives for vulnerable communities during 2016. Meanwhile, erratic rains are also causing localised flash flooding in some areas leading to infrastructural and crop damage as well as displacement.
These patterns have been reflected across most of Southern Africa, with FEWSNET and SADC noting significantly below average and poorly distributed seasonal rainfall since October/2015, leading to temporary and permanently wilted crops, livestock trans boundary disease outbreaks, animal deaths, shortages of water supplies for human and agriculture use, including a severe drought over portions of South Africa, the region's principle grain exporter. It is estimated that for the first time, Malawi may enter the 2016/17 consumption season with zero carryover stocks.
MVAC and FEWS NET are also finding alarming food and nutrition security trends across the country. Food prices are abnormally high, with the national average price for maize moving from MWK151/kg in December 2015 to MWK198 per/kg in January 2016 (a 31% increase), and WFP's MVAM market monitoring noting prices as high as MWK 300/kg. National prices are about 111% above those recorded last year and 137% above the 5 year average. There is a scarcity of maize in markets across the country due to the 30 percent production deficit in 2014/15 production season, and dwindling ADMARC supplies. FEWS NET notes that the steep price increases have led to more households becoming food insecure above the 2.8 million that were identified by the MVAC whose assumptions projected maize highest prices to peak at MWK 200/kg in the consumption season.
