A dire situation is unfolding in Lambwe Chomba area, Chienge District, as over one thousand households face the imminent threat of starvation after selling the majority of their agricultural produce due to high demand.
According to the Hunger Situation Assessment Report from Chieftainess Lambwe Chomba’s Chiefdom, signed by Chienge District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) Wages Mambo, the affected households, comprising 734 male-headed and 322 female-headed households, find themselves in a precarious situation and are urgently appealing to the government for assistance.
The report reveals that Lambwe Chomba area, known for its substantial maize and rice production, attracted a surge of buyers, leading farmers to sell 75 percent of the area’s produce. This unexpected demand has caused a sharp increase in agricultural produce prices, with a 50-kilogram bag of maize now fetching 500 Kwacha.
In response to the unfolding crisis, Chienge District Commissioner Favourite Musangu Kabunda has taken swift action. She has written a letter to the Office of the Luapula Province Permanent Secretary, requesting 2,112 bags of relief maize to address the pressing food shortage.
Mrs. Kabunda emphasized the urgency of the situation, expressing hope that the appeal would be promptly considered to alleviate hunger for the affected households. Each of the affected households is estimated to require two bags of maize to mitigate the looming food crisis.
Source: Lusaka Times
