Zambian Economist: Food Watch (Gwembe)

Saturday, 13 December 2008

Food Watch (Gwembe)

We continue our food watch across the country with this ZANIS report from Gwembe, another Southern Province area (see the Magoye report here):

Villagers run out of food (ZNBC News, 12/12/2008) : Villagers in Chief Chipepo's area of Gwembe District are reportedly surviving on poisonous wild tubers because of a critical food shortage in their area. And Government has described the hunger situation in Gwembe district as serious. Acting District Commissioner, Mathias Fundi, says his office had made a formal request for relief food through the Southern Province Disaster Management Unit. According to ZANIS, the villagers are eating seeds locally known as sozwe which are said to be poisonous if not properly prepared. According to the villagers sozwe seeds are supposed to be cooked for three days before they are ready for consumption.

1 comment:

MrK24 December 2008 at 13:02
From the Nyasa Times:

Malawi food crisis looming in early 2009-- US University study
Agencies
23 December, 2008

Zambia and Malawi may face a food crisis in early 2009, a regional food security study has warned, as Zambia announced it was importing maize as a pre-emptive measure.
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