YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – As hunger grows in Malawi and across the southern African region, a leading Catholic priest in the country is calling for “long-term recovery initiatives” which he says are “essential for building resilient communities which also need support to alleviate the current food crisis.”

The World Food Program says up to 4.2 million Malawians are currently experiencing acute food insecurity, and that figure is expected to rise to 5.7 million between October and March. The situation has been blamed on climate disasters, lost harvests, currency devaluation and high inflation rates.

Across Southern Africa, over 24 million people face hunger, malnutrition, and water scarcity, according to Oxfam.

In Zimbabwe, the country’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has said more than 2.7 million people in the country will go hungry this year, and more than $2 billion in aid is required for the country’s national response. In Malawi, President Lazarus Chakwera has appealed for $200 million in humanitarian assistance.

“Malawi stands at a critical juncture as the country faces an escalating hunger crisis that demands immediate and concerted action,” said the Catholic bishops of the country in a Sept. 18 statement.

“Over the past 12 months, the situation has deteriorated significantly, leaving millions of Malawians struggling to meet their basic food and nutritional needs,” they said.

The bishops blamed factors such as the effects of El Niño and Tropical Cyclone Freddy for the ongoing crisis.

“These persistent disasters and climatic conditions have severely impacted agricultural productivity, resulting in crop failures and rising food prices,” they said. “This situation has placed a heavy burden on vulnerable communities, pushing many into extreme poverty and hunger.”

The bishops accused the government of failing to respond appropriately, saying the government’s approach continues to be disjointed.

They further blamed the government prioritizing the wrong issues, and therefore failing to act on weather predictions provided by the country’s Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services.

The bishops criticized the government for distributing maize seed and fertilizers for maize production, despite forecasts predicting a rainy season in the southern region. They argued that the government should have provided seeds for drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum, millet, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes instead.

In comments to Crux, Father Valenriano Mtseka, Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, outlined a comprehensive plan that includes environmental, economic, and social strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development and disaster preparedness.

He highlighted the importance of environmental rehabilitation through forestation and soil fertility restoration. He said forestation and improving soil fertility will help mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.

He also emphasized the need to promote “smart energy solutions such as energy-efficient cooking stoves and solar power.”

These solutions, he explained, not only reduce reliance on fossil fuels but also provide cleaner and more sustainable energy options for households.

The priest also spoke about investment in climate-smart agriculture and agro-ecology as essential for adapting to changing climate conditions.

He called for the empowerment of women and youth through entrepreneurship, vocational skills training, and financial literacy as a cornerstone of the proposed initiatives. stressed the importance of providing opportunities for these groups to thrive economically.

Mtseka advocated for diversifying the economy to reduce dependency on farming and increase resilience to economic shocks.

Ultimately, the cleric called for investment in early warning systems as a preventive measure against future disasters, emphasizing the need for robust systems to predict and respond to natural disasters effectively.

In their Sept. 18 statement, the bishops emphasized collaborative efforts with the government, international partners, and local organizations, calling for unified action to provide immediate relief to those most affected by the situation.

“We call upon all stakeholders, particularly development partners, to intensify resource mobilization for African countries experiencing various humanitarian crises over and above humanitarian support in other continents,” they said.

Additionally, the bishops called upon the government and other international, public, and private stakeholders in Malawi to join forces in a comprehensive and sustainable response.

They urged the government to make quick and coherent decisions regarding food, which they called a basic human right, and to invest in resilient and sustainable agricultural practices.

They also called on the government to enhance water management systems, including irrigation for both small-scale and commercial farmers.

Additionally, they advocated for providing small-scale farmers with the necessary tools and knowledge to adapt to changing climatic conditions, such as promoting short-term and drought-resistant crop varieties.

The bishops urged the Catholic community, including clergy and religious members, to incorporate messages about food diversification, smart agricultural practices, and positive consumerism into their homilies.

The church, the clerics said, should also “explore mega-farm business models to address food insecurity by utilizing available church land and farms at the diocesan and parish level.”