§ 14. Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Malawi. [172248]
§ Hilary BennThe harvest that has just been completed will be the principal determinant of the need for humanitarian action in Malawi over the next year. Preliminary reports suggest a lower harvest than last year's bumper crop, but with major shortfalls restricted to a few areas. In order to assess more accurately the 2004 harvest and its impact on food security and household vulnerability, the Malawi Government, donors and NGOs are undertaking a series of surveys. The results of these studies will be available by the end of May.