Zambia is in a state to announce food emergency due to severe drought

While the British government has urged the government of Zambia to declare a food emergency after the worst drought in nearly 40 years, the opposition United Party for National Development is leaving no stones unturned in pressurizing the government to declare the hunger situation as a national disaster immediately.

The Southern Africa Development Community issued a report in July that 2.3 million citizens Edgar Lungu-led Zambia would have food insecurity by March, after large parts of the southern and western areas of Zambia received the lowest rainfall since at least 1981. Over the same period, the report forecast the country would have an 888,000-ton cereal deficit. However, the government has claimed that it has adequate corn and staple food to last till the next season and therefore there is no requirement to import.

"The situation warrants it. We need collectively to move quickly," the High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet opined in a response to emailed questions on August 8 after meeting with Vice President of Zambia, Inonge Wina to call for an emergency declaration, as reported by Bloomberg.

But the inflation still continues in Zambia. The average retail prices for corn flour, which has severe demands in Zambia for having its usage in most meals, has recorded the highest price since 2003. And the prices have become higher by 41 percent in July this year in comparison to 2018. The national statistics agency has noted that this rise has pushed the inflation to 8.8 percent, the highest since the last phase of 2016.

Zambia's VP, Inonge Wina, who was contacted by Bloomberg has not replied whether the government plans to declare a national emergency. According to Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the United Party for National Development (UPND), there is an urgent requirement for stakeholders to work together and ensure that adequate resources are raised for relief efforts. He said that the hunger situation that drought has brought in can be managed with the unity of purpose.

"We call on Mr. Edgar Lungu and his Government to immediately declare the hunger situation in the country as a national disaster inorder to galvanize international support. The hunger situation in our country due to drought and other factors is attaining unprecedented levels not witnessed in a long time in this region," Hakainde Hichilema said, Lusaka Times noted.

He also said that the government must not shy from demanding global support to combat the severe starvation that is leaving big impact on the population. "This is a none partisan matter that needs concerted efforts in order to mobilise resources to help our starving citizens across the country. We can only raise such resources if the Executive can be bold enough to raise an alarm to both our local and international cooperating partners that we need urgent assistance to deal with a disaster on our hands," he added.

Now it is up to Edgar Lungu and his government whether to announce an emergency declaration to attract the helping hands from the international community. Stay tuned to Devdiscourse to get the latest updates in Zambia.

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