Over 15 000 to receive relief maize in Salima
About 15 419 people in Salima are expected to benefit from the government’s relief maize being distributed by the Department of Disaster and Management Affairs (Dodma).
In an interview on Monday, Salima disaster preparedness officer Blessings Kantema said targeted beneficiaries are those vulnerable to impending hunger due to last season’s prolonged dry spells and effects of fall army worms.
He said beneficiaries will receive 50 kilogrammes of maize per household in October.
“As you know Salima was not spared from last season’s prolonged dry spells and fall army worms; hence, the initiative,”said.
Kantema.
He has since cautioned the public against exchanging the relief food with any form of favour including money.
On his part, Traditional Authority Kambwiri thanked government for the food aid.
The chief requested government for an extended programme, saying a one off arrangement is not enough to ease the current hunger problems in his area where about 25 000 people face food shortage.
Apart from prolonged dry spells and fall army worms the district is also prone to floods which negatively affected crops in the 2017/18 farming season. n
