Zambia starts to distribute relief food in drought-affected regions

LUSAKA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has started the distribution of relief food to areas of the country affected by drought, a senior official said Monday

Cornelius Mweetwa, minister of information and media and also chief government spokesperson, said that the distribution of relief maize has begun following the approval of the food security drought response plan for the period April 2024 to May 2025.

He said that the government and other stakeholders have initiated responses, providing both cash and in-kind support to all 84 districts affected by the drought out of the country's 116 districts.

"Cabinet appreciated the report from the Office of the Vice-President, through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, indicating that 84.5 percent of the 84 districts have received maize for the targeted beneficiaries under the maize distribution program," he said in a statement following a cabinet meeting.

Zambia declared the drought a national disaster and emergency in February this year and made a humanitarian appeal for assistance in April. The drought resulted from poor rains during the 2023/2024 farming season, impacting crop production and leaving over six million people in urgent need of food assistance.

Mweetwa said that cooperating partners have begun responding to the appeal and expressed hope that the government will be able to meet the target required for its humanitarian needs.