Minister distributes maize to Machinga Likwenu
Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Bright Msaka gave people of Machinga Likwenu a New Year treat when he distributed 1 500 bags of maize to households that are currently food insecure.
Msaka, who comes from the area, said he was concerned with the plight of the affected people.
He, therefore, distributed 1 000 bags of maize each weighing 25 kilogrammes (kg) to people gathered at Nathendo Primary School and 500 bags to those that gathered at Bisa Primary School.
Msaka assured the people that government will ensure provision of relief food.
Most Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) markets in Machinga have had maize in stock for the past three weeks.
Traditional Authority (T/A) Sitola and acting T/A Nkula commended Msaka for his gesture which they said has come at a time when most households in their areas did not have food.
One of the recipients, Joyce Edison, also commended Msaka for the gesture, saying the food will make a different.
She said most affected families harvested maize that only lasted three months.
Most households that received the food relief attributed their poor harvest to waterlogged gardens and lack of farm inputs.
Msaka also distributed Likuni Phala to 500 children in hunger affected households.
Machinga is one of the 15 districts declared a disaster area after heavy rains destroyed crops, property and cost peoples’ lives during the last rainy season. n
