Morogoro warned of hunger
What you need to know:
District agricultural, irrigation and cooperative officer Maria Keshau gave the advice during a meeting with village and ward executive officers called by district commissioner Regina Chonjo.
Morogoro. Residents in Morogoro Rural District have been advised to wisely consume the food they harvested in the just ended season, especially maize, so as to shield themselves against a looming food shortage.
District agricultural, irrigation and cooperative officer Maria Keshau gave the advice during a meeting with village and ward executive officers called by district commissioner Regina Chonjo.
Ms Leshalu said the district was facing a shortage of food because some villages were hit by drought in the last season while in others livestock invaded farms and destroyed crops.
“The food situation in the 2015/16 farming season was not encouraging. So far, we have a total of 528,477 tonnes of food while the demand is 636,418 tonnes. So the district is facing a looming hunger crisis,” she explained.
The agricultural officer said the district had cultivated 109,000 hectares of grain in 2015/16 season and 8,900 hectares of tuber, but the harvest was generally poor.
However, the district commissioner criticised the report noting that it lacked some crucial facts.
She told the officer to analytically list the wards and villages which were in the danger of facing hunger.
Ms Chonjo also ordered ward and executive officers to make an assessment of food situation in their areas and give reasons for food shortage.
