EDITOR—ALLOW me to join the raging debate on the issuance of Grain Import Licences. This is so given that there are worrying reports that our grain reserves are said to be dwindling and that we are left with little to cushion our people from the looming hunger.
I have faith in our Government which has always come through for the people in difficult times. It must not be any different as the country is faced by this scary situation.
It is in light of this that I would like to urge Government to do something as a matter of urgency about providing food for families across the country.
It is no secret that the harvest is going to be poor this year and this has been exacerbated by the lack of rains due to the El Nino phenomenon. It is evident that there is a looming disaster if something is not done urgently.
The people cannot simply starve because of a simple issue such as the speedy issuance of Grain Import Licences.
There should be mechanisms put in place to make sure there is adequate food supply so that people do not go hungry. In the past, even when there were droughts, people always found something to eat, thanks to Government. I remember eating yellow maize when things were bad.
But what is sad is that even with the weather forecasts, we have continually failed to put in place irrigation systems that pump underground water so that people have food.
We have failed to adapt to the changing climate by growing short-season seed varieties and perhaps even changing our staple diet to small grains.
Kerina-Wekwa Gutu