India dispatches 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to drought-hit Malawi on March 9

Key facts

• India dispatched 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to Malawi from Nhava Sheva Port on March 9.
• The humanitarian aid responds to drought caused by the El Niño effect.
• Over 4 million people, roughly 20 per cent of Malawi’s population, face acute food shortages.
• Lake Chilwa and other major water bodies have dried up, prompting Malawi to declare a state of disaster.
• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced the dispatch on X.
• President Droupadi Murmu undertook a State visit to Malawi in 2024 and signed MoUs on arts and culture, youth matters, sports and pharmaceutical cooperation.