Famine hits Pader district

By James Odong FOOD shortage has hit Agago county in the new district of Pader with unconfirmed reports of deaths due to starvation.The Agago county MP, Prof. Ogenga Latigo, yesterday told The New Vision that famine was acute in his constituency.He, however, said by the time he left the constituency last week there were no confirmed cases of death. The New Vision sister paper, Rupiny reported yesterday that about 14 people had died of hunger in the area. “It is true our position is very bad. What I can tell you as a professional in the field of agriculture is that the famine we are faced with will be worse than the one of 1980,” Ogenga said. He identified Acholi Bur, Pader, Kalongo, Patongo and Lira Palwo as areas most affected by the famine.Ogenga attributed the famine to delayed rains and too many funeral rites.“Apart from the delayed rains, our people have had too many funeral rites. Large amounts of food have been consumed during these festivities, resulting into poor stocking of food,” he said.Ogenga said because of the long dry spell, crops had not been planted and that those that had been planted earlier had dried up.“Imagine our people cultivating in August or September and harvesting in November or the next months. this is a disaster,” Ogenga said.Ends