Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) director of preparedness and response the Reverend Moses Chimphepo has expressed satisfaction with the progress of maize distribution during the lean season.
He said this on Friday when he visited the final distribution points under the 2024/25 Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme in Salima District.
Chimphepo said government has reached out to 4.5 million people through its maize distribution programme, which aims to help 5.7 million individuals facing hunger in the country.
He said: “We are optimistic that the hunger situation in some parts of the country, including Salima will stabilise following the distribution of relief maize.
“Districts with worse hunger situation such as Salima will receive support from government for four months to cushion food-insecure households. We appeal to beneficiaries to use the maize for its intended purpose.”
Chimphepo said government has provided 39 000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize while other stakeholders, including the World Food Programme, contributed an additional 11 000MT.
One of the beneficiaries, Patuma Eid of Juma Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Maganga, said the drought last year left them with little or no harvests, leading to hunger in their area.
“We hardly harvested anything because of the erratic rains. At the moment, hunger is at its peak in this area, therefore, the relief maize has given us a sigh of relief,” she said.
Another beneficiary from Thom Village in the same area, Maupa Anafi, hailed the timely donation, saying his family members were going to bed hungry.
“We were surviving on mangoes. Unfortunately, we are almost at the end of the mango season,” he said.
On his part, group village head Chimwabvi said at least seven out of 10 people in his area are facing hunger.
