Amid increasing pressure on us to respond to crises, we urge the international community to remember that we can only provide as much assistance as we ourselves receive ? whether in cash or food. We have to appeal for every cent that we spend on the hungry poor.

The humanitarian emergency insurance contract might, in the future, offer us a way of insuring against these massive losses before they spell destitution for millions of families.

These kids have every need in the world and the unfairness of it is just beyond description.

These are places that need help, and these are places whose leaders have taken ownership of the problems and the international community's investment will be productive. We intend to be vigorous advocates, asking the international community to do more.

If you help a little girl go to school for five years in Malawi everything about her life changes for the better. She's a better mum, she's a better citizen, a better teacher, a better farmer.

They will die off the beaten track that the world is not focussed on. And it is a very tough challenge for us to raise the resources.

The truth of it is, I'm excited about this. We need this growth.

It's still early but if current predictions prove correct, then Malawi may have more food at its disposal this year than in previous years.

Food must come first. We cannot put families who have lost their homes and loved ones to violence on a 1,000-calorie-a-day diet.

This is a measure we should simply never have to take.