In short
Moses Chuna Kapolon, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Soroti district, says the food crisis is alarming.
Soroti district officials have petitioned the Office of the Prime Minister-OPM for more food relief, saying close to 10,000 families are on the verge of starvation. According to the officials, most of the affected families can only afford a meal a day, while others have nothing to eat following prolonged drought in the area.
The appeal comes a week after the OPM dispatched 300 bags of maize flour and beans through the Disaster Preparedness Ministry for distribution in Soroti district. The relief was distributed to 1500 households. Moses Chuna Kapolon, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Soroti district, says the food crisis is alarming.
According to Kapolon, several hectares of crops including beans, maize and simsim that were planted in the last season dried up due to inadequate rainfall. Jane Akiror, the Soroti District Disaster Committee Chairperson, says they are compiling data on the affected families to establish the extent of the food crisis.
Steven Olebe, the Speaker Soroti District Council, lists Asuret, Gweri, Kamuda, Arapai and Katine sub counties as the most affected. He says several families are surviving on a single meal, a day. He wants government to dispatch additional relief for distribution to the affected families.
Bosco Otim, a resident of Gweri Sub County, says the relief food dispatched to the district by government wasn't sufficient for everyone. He asks government to intervene immediately to prevent the food insecure families from starving. At least 1.3 million Ugandans are in need of food relief according to the Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries Ministry.
On Monday, government dispatched food relief to hunger stricken areas, saying it would only go vulnerable persons. Mathew Owor, the Commissioner in charge of Relief and Disaster Preparedness, said groups like child-headed families, widows, persons with HIV/Aids, persons with disability, the old and the sick will be considered.
According to Owor, each household will receive food that can last them for at least 20 days as they look for other means.
The appeal comes a week after the OPM dispatched 300 bags of maize flour and beans through the Disaster Preparedness Ministry for distribution in Soroti district. The relief was distributed to 1500 households. Moses Chuna Kapolon, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Soroti district, says the food crisis is alarming.
According to Kapolon, several hectares of crops including beans, maize and simsim that were planted in the last season dried up due to inadequate rainfall. Jane Akiror, the Soroti District Disaster Committee Chairperson, says they are compiling data on the affected families to establish the extent of the food crisis.
Steven Olebe, the Speaker Soroti District Council, lists Asuret, Gweri, Kamuda, Arapai and Katine sub counties as the most affected. He says several families are surviving on a single meal, a day. He wants government to dispatch additional relief for distribution to the affected families.
Bosco Otim, a resident of Gweri Sub County, says the relief food dispatched to the district by government wasn't sufficient for everyone. He asks government to intervene immediately to prevent the food insecure families from starving. At least 1.3 million Ugandans are in need of food relief according to the Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries Ministry.
On Monday, government dispatched food relief to hunger stricken areas, saying it would only go vulnerable persons. Mathew Owor, the Commissioner in charge of Relief and Disaster Preparedness, said groups like child-headed families, widows, persons with HIV/Aids, persons with disability, the old and the sick will be considered.
According to Owor, each household will receive food that can last them for at least 20 days as they look for other means.
