Hunger in TZ

Over 240,000 people face hunger

More than 240,000 people in Tanzania are in urgent need of food aid, while 12,000 others will have to get the food at a subsidised price as the growing food crisis takes its toll in some regions.

Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives minister Steven Wassira said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that this was the latest information he had received from the team of experts the government dispatched to evaluate the extent of food crisis in 13 regions.

The minister briefed reporters on the food situation at a ceremony at which a memorandum of understanding was signed on development assistance to Tanzania`s agricultural sector between China Development Bank (CDB) and his ministry.

He said the food aid the government would dispatch to the food-short regions would be given for free to those who cannot afford even the token price, while others would have to buy it at a subsidised price.

``Preliminary reports brought to me by the team of experts show that over 240,000 people deserve food aid because they cannot pay for it, while 12,000 others can buy it at a token price,`` he elaborated.

The minister said, as a precaution, the government was making sure that food was not taken to neighbouring countries.

He noted that Kenya and Zimbabwe were already facing food shortages and expressed fears that the situation in Tanzania could worsen ``if people continue taking food across our borders despite the standing ban``.

``The government has taken enough measures to make sure that people do not export or otherwise take foodstuffs to neighbouring countries because it will worsen the crisis in the country,`` he said.

``The team of experts is helping in assessing the country`s actual food needs and the extent to which food aid will be required. It has already left for the food-short regions for the purpose,`` explained Wassira.

He named the regions as including Arusha, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera (Bukoba), Kigoma, Kilimanjaro (Same), Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Shinyanga and Tanga.

He would not give details on the degree of the problem in each region.

The government last week allayed public fears over reports of looming famine in the 13 regions.

Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives deputy minister David Mathayo told this paper that the team of experts earlier sent to 11 regions most hit by food shortages reported that the situation was not as severe as earlier thought and that there was no cause for alarm.

CDB chairman Zheng Qingh, who represented his bank at yesterday`s ceremony, said the package would help Tanzania improve its agriculture.

He said the package would enable farmers to improve farming methods and produce enough food for both domestic use and sale.


SOURCE: Guardian, 2009-03-12 10:55:37
By Angel Navuri