Rufunsa District Agricultural Coordinator, John Lungu, says the district has not been spared from the dry spell which has affected most parts of the country.

Mr Lungu says the district planted over 21 thousand hectares of maize and about 75 percent of it has been destroyed.

Mr Lungu revealed this when Lusaka Province Minister, Sheal Mulyata, visited the district.

Mr Lungu appealed to the government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit to quickly intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Province Minister, Sheal Mulyata said the government, through DMMU, will make sure that relief food is provided to the affected citizens.

Ms Mulyata urged that the drought situation is not something to politicise but to work together as it is the state’s emergency.

“Am urging you to venture into alternative farming. As a government, we will make sure that boreholes are drilled so that even if we don’t have the rains, we can still grow crops using irrigation,” she said.

And Rufunsa District Commissioner, Richard Mabena, said the district has received 3,000 bags of maize from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) which are being sold to the residents at K330 per 50kgs.

Mr Mabena added that the district will also be provided with Eagle mealie meal at an affordable price.