About 935 by 50 kilogram bags of maize out of the 3,080 bags of the grain meant to feed starving families in the Bangweulu swamps in Samfya have been condemned as unfit for human consumption.
This follows an assessment exercise conducted by health inspectors and officials from the department of agriculture at Saint John’s Catholic Church warehouse..
Samfya District Commissioner Sylvester Chimfwembe confirmed the development to ZANIS today.
Mr. Chimfwembe told ZANIS that many bags of maize meant for relief food have been
condemned adding that he could not give details as a report was still being compiled.
But a joint report by health inspectors and crop husbandry experts obtained by ZANIS
revealed that 935 x 50 kilogram bags of maize out of the 3,080 bags of the grain were found to be rotten and infected with storage weevils.
The report said only 2,145 bags of maize were found fit for human consumption and
recommended that the good grain be distributed immediately.
It also recommended that the storage sheds at the Catholic Church be sprayed against
weevil pests immediately the maize is removed.
The 3,080 x 50 kilogram bags of maize that were delivered four days ago in Samfya
are part of government’s relief response to avert starvation among the12,831 people
whose crops were destroyed by torrential rains in the swamps.
