has started airlifting relief Maize to Luano Valley in a bid to
mitigate the hunger situation in the area. In the picture, residents
getting maize from the ZAF chopper
The Food and Agriculture Organisation says calls to declare the hunger situation in some parts of the country a national disaster are unfounded.
FAO Country Representative Dr George Okechi says although some parts of Zambia are facing famine, the situation does not warrant the declaration of a national emergency.
Dr Okechi said it must be noted that not the entire country is faced with hunger and no families have been lost so far.
Speaking to Journalists, Dr Okechi has however urged the government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit to hasten the food distribution exercise to the affected families.
He expressed concern that the distribution of food to the affected families has been slow resulting in some families lacking food to eat.
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema, the British Government and the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction are among the stakeholders that have requested government to declare the hunger situation a disaster for the country to receive enough support from donors.
Statistics from the DMMU indicate that 2. 5 million Zambians in 58 districts have been hit by hunger mainly caused by drought in the 2018/2019 farming season.
Government in the immediate term needs about 178 million dollars to avert the hunger situation which has escalated to phases three and four in most of the districts.
Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said the country has enough food and declaring a National disaster will turn Zambia into a beggar.
The hunger situation prevailing in some parts of Zambia does not warrant the declaration of an emergency because the entire country is not hungry.
Dr. Okechi says government must identify areas that are hunger stricken and intensify the distribution of relief food to the affected families.
Cue…
Meanwhile, Dr. Okechi is confident that government will distribute farming inputs for the 2019/2020 agriculture season on time.
There’s no hunger in Zambia except may be in Southern Province. Even there our able government has already delivered plenty of maize bran that they can share with their animals.
Zambians naifwe awe mwee! Why those foood traders at Soweto market gather for meeting, pack all their Canters and make a convoy to trade in Southern province? Beans, kapenta, cassava, bananas and the famous maize. Kitwe marketeers will do same.
They will bring back other goods like crafts and trade back at Soweto.
Do that every other weekend. And when you gone, they will clean markets.
Fyonse fye kamo ba President.
Let me just be president.
Meanwhile, Dr. Okechi is confident that government will distribute farming inputs for the 2019/2020 agriculture season on time.
Not responsibly thought out contribution. I am conflicted by it.
“FAO Country Representative Dr George Okechi says although some parts of Zambia are facing famine”
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF FAMINE?Keep politics away from food.
Just because an opposition party talked about declaring a food emergency or disaster does not forbid the PF or ant logical thinking person from doing the same.
The PF should not be blinded by the short lived power they have.
indepondo or whatever you call yourself, FAO rep has spoken and he is an expert in this field. Just because your colonial master, your small god of dundumwezi and Chipenzi & Co Limited have declared some parts of the country as emergency doesn’t mean we should all follow blindly like a UPND zombie.
Ask him
Dr. Okechi is waiting for some families to die for the situation to qualify to a national disaster!
You are immune to facts. Please let’s not allow our political opinions cloud our judgement. He is speaking from informed data. Not gossip from bars and Facebook.
We talked about the hunger situation that you cannot make declaration as a national disaster.
Some part of the country has been hit with drought as some.
forecast, i feel you! you are right this is a provincial disaster and not a national disaster. am kindly asking my relatives from this same disaster province to join the rest of the country in prayers on 18th October otherwise you might face another drought next season. i know that hh has been stopping you to go for National prayers and we all know that no one can go against what hh has ordered because he is a god too, but just try even under the bed…….God will hear you
That is what will be happening when a certain someone is put in State House. Foot and Mouth disease will be a national disaster.
Kanshi why does this site have to show us buttock. S and bums on these ads. Do you want us to start fantasising about the foreign women
Unfortunately they sponsor the free news you read. Most of you even stopped buying news paper because you think you now have free news.
There is nothing for free. Someone is paying for what you read.
@Danger1 and @Its politiical, do not blame LT for you backwardness. Haven’t you ever heard of something called safe and clean browsing? Just used adblocker to clean your browsers. May be you like too much p0rn and you browser is caching browsing history and advertising to you accordingly.
Let’s be objective here naimwe, though this is not a national disaster yet, that some are affected means the current government has failed in it’s duty of food security for some Zambians. Latvia has 1.5 million people so 2.5 million that is two countries already. Failure is failure, don’t sugercoat it. Why is the hunger situation only affecting the poor and disenfranchised? Ati government for the poor. There is no thread of integrity in this PF government. And yung people like ka Tutwa from kabwe have sold out to mediocrity, ati lawyer, educated PFool.
Ichilema likes disasters. Whenever he wakes up in the morning he wishes something bad to happen to Zambia so that he capitalize on it. Hunger knows no political party and not sure if it is a sign to some people, it is the UPND stronghold that has been most affected. The PF government should be commended for distributing food in affected areas regardless of political affiliation but they way I know some people if it was the other way round. People who go as far as suspending members for attending government functions.
UPND Minion you want National disaster NOT National prayers, Worship God never you politicize prayers are more than hunger and God will keep on punishing you if you continue rejecting the National prayers’ day. Look up to God to avoid the next calamity and crying fauls. HH will not save you and he is eating heavy soup and drinking heavy tea. cries are yours who accept lies from oval head HH.
Most Zambian rural families face hunger every year even without the effects of adverse weather. The most affected are Lambaland, the Tonga in the valley, many parts of Western province. The Tonga valley experiences long hot dry spells and streams dry up as early as May. The Lamba prefer to trade than cultivate their fields. 100 ridges per year are enough for an average Lamba. Maize crop usually fails in the sandy areas of Western province, may be they should try cassava which is reasonably xerophytic. In short most families need support and it’s the responsibility of Government to do that.
IWE FAO WHY DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DIE FIRST BEFORE A DECLARATION IS MADE.
Mmm does the government have $178 million and this man is saying the hunger situation has escalated to phase 3 & 4 with 2.5 million out of the entire population of 17 to 20 million people are affected and 58 districts are affected .Right now am thinking maybe we are not giving this situation the seriousness it deserves because if what this man has said is truly what is on the ground then government should consider declaring a national disaster because worrying about being a burger is ridiculous more especially with the begging we have already been doing
Sorry meant beggar not burger
Swallow you pride and save the people. Why pretend that all is well.