VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina has directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to handle the ongoing sale of maize with caution and to ensure that strategic reserves are not diminished.
The Vice-President has also directed the stock monitoring committee to meet regularly to provide updates on the levels of food stocks in the country.
Mrs Wina said this at a press briefing yesterday on the food security in light of poor rainfall in some parts of the country this season.
“Because of prolonged dry spells mostly in the southern half of the country being most affected, maize fields have wilted due to severe moisture deficit,” Mrs Wina said.
She, however, assured that Government is fully aware of the prevailing situation and that she chaired an emergency meeting on Wednesday for selected Government ministries and institutions.
The Vice-President said an indepth assessment is being undertaken in 48 districts to determine the impact of dry spells experienced during the rainy season.
She said the meeting discussed the implications of the situation at hand and the measures being undertaken in the short to medium term while awaiting the results from the in-depth assessment.
“As an interim measure whilst awaiting the results of the 2015 national assessment, food assistance of 50 metric tonnes has been provided to each of the severely affected districts which are mostly in Western and North-Western Provinces,” Mrs Wina said.
She said Government is doing everything possible to mitigate the impacts of the prolonged dry spells.
Mrs Wina also called on opposition political parties, non-governmental organisations, religious leaders and other stakeholders to work with Government in ensuring food security.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President Steven Kampyongo said in an interview that it is not only Zambia affected by drought.
Mr Kampyongo said that this is not a Zambian problem but a regional one.
Maize transported to mkushi via congo.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD APPROACH MADAM VICE PRESIDENT. YOU SEEM TO BE DOING THE RIGHT THING IN YOUR OFFICE. LET CHAGWA HIMSELF AND MANY OTHER HENCHMEN AROUND HIM EMULATE YOUR COMMITMENT IN WANTING TO SERVE E ZAMBIAN PEOPLE. I SALUTE YOU.
This is a good position madam Vice President. We can only hope this is respected, as we are aware of the issues behind exporting maize at the moment. The prime mover to have maize export is the need for forex and little concern for our own food security.
how about the bumper harvest projection by Hon Lubinda?Was he just busting and hallucinating?
Amazing; …when Edith Nawakwi of FDD advised the Minister of Agriculture Mr. Given Lubinda a few weeks ago to properly evaluate the expected maize harvest volumes before announcing crop exportation, many cried said that she was just politicking. Now that the Vice President has come round to the same conclusion as Edith after several weeks, well perhaps an apology to Edith will be in order?