Angola, Ondjiva – The director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in southern Cunene province, Dinis Pedro Pacavira, said Thursday in Ondjiva that measures are being taken to help the peasant populations affected by the drought hitting the region in the 2012/2013 agricultural season.
According to the official, the scarcity of rains currently noted in the province has led to a failure in the agricultural production, which is threatening the harvest of the main crops.
Dinis Pacavira said in assisting the population affected, the Government has adopted prevention measures that include the supply of ploughing instruments and improved seeds, with a view to the coming season.
The purpose of the Executive is to increment the assistance to the small scale peasants who rely on subsistence agriculture, by providing them with seeds, fertilizers and ploughing equipment.
According to the official, a food aid will be provided in the most critical areas, as part of a contingence plan jointly designed with the Social Welfare Ministry.
Under the current season, the Government supplied free of charge 120 tonnes of cereals and 97 of fertilizers to about 90 peasant families working on a global area of 60,000 hectares.