At least 1257 households in Kafue District are expected to receive 5 Kilogrammes of bags of maize seed and fertilizer from the government under the emergency cropping sub- programme.

The department of Community Development and Social Services has identified 1257 households in more than 10 wards of the district to receive the food security pack to plant in wetlands.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting acting District Community Development officer Patricia Samende disclosed that the emergency wetlands cropping sub programme is the government’s response to the drought that has affected most parts of the country.

Ms Samende added that the identified households are expected to plant at least one lima of maize each.

She further stated that the emergency wetlands cropping sub-programme is an addition to the alternative livelihood and normal wetland food security park programme the Government is implementing in Kafue District.

“As Kafue district we are implementing three programmes under the food security park programme, the new one is the emergency wetlands cropping sub-programme, then we have the normal wetlands and the Alternative Livelihood programme respectively,” Ms Samende.

Meanwhile, Acting Kafue District Commissioner Perfecto Kabanshi urged all stakeholders to actively participate in finding the mitigation measures to cushion the impact of the drought in the district.

Dr Kabanshi urged all stakeholders to take President Hakainde Hichilema’s declarations concerning the drought seriously.

He tasked the stakeholders to also intensify sensitization on communities on the anticipated crop failure and disease outbreak for livestock and mitigation measures the government is putting in place to control the situation.

 “We need to assess the impact of the drought disaster in the district and intensify sensitization on anticipated crop failure, disease outbreak for livestock and the mitigation measures the government is putting in place to control the disaster,” Dr Kabanshi said.