Farmers in Mvolo County are facing widespread crop losses and worsening food shortages following prolonged drought and inadequate rainfall, with fears of possible famine in the coming months, the chairperson of Mvolo Cooperative Union, Emmanuel Majok Brown, has warned.
Brown said crops planted between May and June had been severely affected by the prolonged dry spell, leaving many plants dried up and threatening this year’s harvest.
“The entire part of Mvolo County is severely affected by drought as a result of scarcity of rainfall. Most of the crops have dried up, and I think in the next few months, this area will be hit by famine,” Brown said.
He said farmers began experiencing insufficient rainfall in May and June, with a dry spell in June reportedly lasting between one and one-and-a-half months.
According to Brown, an assessment conducted two months ago found that crop leaves had turned yellow and many plants were dying, indicating the extent of the damage.
He said the situation had worsened existing food shortages, as households had exhausted their food stocks from last year while expected production from the current planting season was likely to fall significantly.
Some maize supplies are reaching local markets from parts of neighbouring Mundri County, including Karika and Mariji, Brown said, but warned that the quantities were limited and might not be sufficient to meet local demand.
Brown also criticised what he described as the lack of response from county authorities, the state government and humanitarian organisations despite reports and assessments highlighting the deteriorating situation.
“Early intervention is better than waiting for the people to die,” he said, calling on government authorities and humanitarian partners to provide urgent assistance to affected communities.
In addition to crop losses, Brown said livestock were dying from an unidentified disease, further threatening the livelihoods of households that depend on cattle.
He called for veterinary experts to investigate the disease and provide assistance to affected livestock owners.
Brown also appealed to humanitarian partners to support cooperative societies through livelihood programmes, including revolving funds, to help farmers and other residents establish alternative sources of income.
He urged the government to coordinate with development and humanitarian partners, maintain security and ensure freedom of movement to facilitate the delivery of assistance and support economic activities.
Brown said alternative livelihoods, including fisheries and small businesses, could help communities cope with drought and reduce their dependence on agricultural production.
He called for sustained investment in local cooperative societies, saying early intervention and livelihood support were necessary to help communities withstand the effects of the prolonged dry spell.
The post Western Equartoria: Mvolo farmers face crop losses as drought raises famine fears first appeared on Eye Radio.