Ten villages in Tunduru facing shortage of food
2009-01-02 12:09:32
By Augustino Chindiye, Tunduru
Hundreds of residents from at least ten villages in Misechela and Mtima wards in Tunduru District, Ruvuma Region are facing starvation due to acute shortage of food supplies.
According to the area councillor, Mohamedi Njalanjala many families have resorted to consumption of unripe mangoes as a way of sustaining their lives.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with this paper yesterday, Njalanjala requested for immediate action by higher authorities to avert the situation and save many lives.
He named the villages as Chiungo, Mkotamo, Meamtwaro, Liwanga and Misechela, whereby families are reportedly unable to afford even a single meal a day. Others are Mtina, Nakapanya, Mbesa, Nalasi and Mchoteka.
``It is heartbreaking to see all family members running to mango trees early in the morning for the day`s collection. Human beings deserve more than that.
It is time proper and corrective measures were taken to help these people lead descent lives,`` he said.
However, the councillor also proposed a change in attitude among the residents to avoid repetition of such uncertainty in life.
He wanted the villagers to cultivate the culture of saving food instead of consuming it all during local traditional festivals.
``People`s income has been reduced to the lowest. Prices of grain have become unaffordable such that a kilogramme of maize flour is sold at 1000/- and dried cassava roots currently fetching 350/- a kilogramme, of which people cannot afford,`` councillor Njalanjala explained.
He said he was worried that the situation would deteriorate further in case the mango season came to an end, adding that he feared that the entire village would be reduced to cheap labour at farms and estates of the well-to-do people.
SOURCE: Guardian