According to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), 4.7 million people will be need food assistance until the next harvesting period. The figure rises from an earlier estimate of 4.2 million. This is an increase of a previous report in June which predicted 4.2 million would need assistance.
A press release issued by the NGO said: "Everyone in the country will already have means of getting at least some food, but those receiving food aid are the ones who are not able to get enough to meet their minimum food requirement. The difference between this figure and what they are able to access is what we allocate in food aid".