Ramechhap, April 1

Low production of crops following prolonged drought in Ramechhap has posed a threat of possible food crisis in the district.

Though the district has been facing food shortage for a few years now, Khandadevi, Likhu, Umakunda, Gokulganga and Doramba rural municipalities along with some wards of Ramechhap Municipality are worse hit.

Chief at District Agriculture Office, Ramechhap Rajendra Malla said food crisis had already surfaced in many parts of the district this year. He said farmers did not have enough water for irrigation due to the drought last year. Malla added that earlier farmers could sustain on locally grown crops for three to six months. “However, the prolonged drought has forced local farmers to leave their lands barren,” he said.

A local Ram Bahadur Thami of Daduwa Thami said villagers were struggling to manage two meals a day. He said though they faced food crisis every year, this year was likely to be worse.

Malla said his office would launch grant and food preservation programmes in the district to cope with the famine. Ramechhap is in need of an estimated 8,500 tonnes of food grains this year.