Zambia: The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has distributed another batch of relief maize to vulnerable households. The families in the Chisamba District of the Central Province were the target of the most recent exercise.
The DMMU distributed over 11,000 by 50 kilogram bags of Maize to the family dealing with the food shortage crisis. The people of several areas within the region will also shared that the failure of the rain season has caused the shortages
Chisamba District Commissioner, Joel Mboyoma said the programme is part of Government’s interventions. The programme seeks to support the communities dealing with food insecurity following the drought.
The draught negatively affected the 2023/2024 farming season and led to several families facing several issues. According to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) Mboyoma stated that a total of 566 metric tonnes of maize have been distributed to vulnerable households in the area.
“We just completed phase one of the distribution of relief maize under the DMMU programme. So far, 11,320 households have benefited. This programme is expected to mitigate levels of hunger in the area,” he said.
The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has been organizing several donation drives for the people. The officials have shared that it is important for the members of the community to receive the support of the organization.
Earlier, Chisamba District Disaster Management Officer Dominic Balengu explained that the unit distributed relief maize both as food for work and for free.
Mr. Balengu said vulnerable but viable beneficiaries did community work for 80 percent of the relief maize while the other 20 percent was allocated to vulnerable beneficiaries among them the aged, chronically ill and differently abled persons.
“The vulnerable but viable beneficiaries have so far moulded over 50,000 bricks at various community construction projects including class room blocks and a maternity wing. We will soon start phase two of the distribution exercise,” he said.
Further, Blessing Mbao, a beneficiary thanked the Government for the gesture citing that the maize he has received will help him feed his household.