Qacha's Nek is in dire need of food, US ambassador says

The Ambassador of the United States of America in Lesotho, Mr. Robert Loftis says the situation of hunger in the district of Qacha's Nek is serious, and it could exacerbated by various other factors such as frost.

Speaking in an interview with LENA after his meeting with the District Secretary, Principal Chief of Qacha's Nek and the staff members of the World Food Programme (WFP), Disaster Management Authority (DMA) and the Food Management Unit (FMU) on January 20, Mr. Loftis said to curb this situation, there is a need for a continuous food supply to vulnerable households.

There is a dire need for more food from all over the world and the region into the country through the WFP to close this gap, as well as the number of the people who should get assistance. It is also important to work with the agricultural sector, to find out alternatives to maize should it not be successful. 

The Ambassador said the agricultural sector should also be encouraged to use various farming methods that could improve productivity, basing itself on cultivation, fertilizers used, cropping system and any
kind of farming products that could be used to improve soil fertility. Another important factor is fighting the
HIV/AIDS pandemic, because it is only when people are fit that they could be more productive, he said.

Comparing the Qacha's Nek district with other districts in the highlands, Mr. Loftis said the situation of shortage of food is similar throughout the country because weather conditions are more or less the same.

The purpose of the ambassador's visit to Qacha's Nek was to assess the food distribution situation in general so that his office could assist where possible. The Ambassador was accompanied by the Political Assistant at the US Embassy, Mr. Thabo Mosoeunyane.

In another development, Field Officer for the Disaster Management Authority, Mr. Sello Phate  has said at least 5, 700 vulnerable households have been registered in the district of Qacha's Nek, and there is a high possibility that the numbers will increase because eight distribution points have yet to be covered.

There is a need of more food in the district because of the expected poor harvest this year due to late rains, with the possibility that farmers may not harvest anything. Relief measures during the winter have to be double the monthly rations of 50kg maize meal, five kg of pulses and two kg of cooking oil, in the very
remote areas of the district such as Matebeng, Mr. Phate said.

Clerk at the FMU Stores in Qacha's Nek, Mrs. 'Marethabile Hoodi said there is currently a shortage of maize meal in their stores, which is delivered straight from Maputsoe, but plenty of cooking oil and pulses, delivered from Durban.

21 January 2004