Patrick Opio
9 July 2009
Kampala — FAMINE has hit Apac district hard and most families have only one meal a day.
A survey carried out by The New Vision revealed that the hardest-hit people live on the shores of lakes Kwania and Kyoga. Ogwal Acira, a resident of Teoryang village in Nambieso sub-county, said since April, his family has been depending on pumpkin leaves commonly called acwica.
Mary Okulla of Akokoro sub-county said: "We are forced to harvest wild leaves to eat without posho or cassava." She added that the cassava and millet they planted early this year were destroyed by hailstones.
Erin Achola, living with HIV/AIDS in Abuli parish, Nambieso sub-county, said she had become more vulnerable because of poor nutrition. "I used to be strong, but now I depend on only one meal in two days. I get admitted at health units more frequently," Achola said.
Akokoro LC3 chairman, Robert Olinga, said the elderly, persons living with AIDS and children were the most vulnerable. "Unless NGOs and the Government act fast, many people will die," Olinga said.
He noted that a piece of cassava tuber now costs sh2,000, up from sh100 last year. "The situation has forced women and men to resort to stealing foodstuffs," Olinga explained. Nambieso sub-county LC3 chief Geoffrey Ebuk noted that children could not go to school due to hunger.
The agriculture officer, Yuvan Ogwang said the torrential rains and hailstorms were the main cause of the crop failure that led to famine. "Rain is just a dream in this area. When it comes, it is destructive," Ogwang said.
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