By Wanangwa Tembo
KASUNGU-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has asked for fairness in the distribution of relief maize which government is distributing in Kasungu District as a response to the hunger caused by El Nino weather phenomenon during the last growing season.
Kasungu is one of the 23 districts where Chakwera declared a State of Disaster following unfavorable climatic conditions that affected harvest for the district, traditionally considered a food basket.
Speaking Wednesday during whistle stops at Santhe and Mawawa in the area of Senior Chief Lukwa, Chakwera said it is the responsibility of government to ensure that everyone is protected from starvation, hence those responsible for distributing relief items must ensure all targeted beneficiaries are reached.
“We have increased the number of targeted households because we do not want hungry families. We can’t go to our farms without food.
“We have also decided to start distributing the maize earlier than initially planned because we understand that many people do not have food and cannot wait any longer,” Chakwera said.
He said government will revitalize Agriculture and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) depots in the district to promote food security.
“We want to create a system that encourages serious agriculture such as constructing roads, irrigation farming and promotion of agri-business in general,” he said.
Member of Parliament for Kasungu West, Jairos Bonongwe hailed government for expediting the distribution of fertilizer under the Agriculture Inputs Programme.
He said: “We are farmers here. We don’t like it when we don’t have food and we resort to begging.
“So we are happy that we have started accessing fertilizer in good time and with good rains, we are assured of good harvest this season,” Bonongwe said.
In his remarks, Senior Chief Lukwa thanked government for starting the maize distribution exercise.
Lukwa also said chiefs in the district are happy with the progress of development initiatives that will benefit the district such as the agricultural loans.
At least 43 208 households in Kasungu District have been earmarked to receive 150 kilogrammes of maize to plug their three months’ food deficit.
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is coordinating the exercise.
