Bajura, October 29

Locals in the northeast area of Bajura and Shreenagar of Humla are reeling under acute food shortage due to prolonged drought in the districts.

Locals of Budhinanda Municipality, Swamikartika, Himali and Pandabgufa rural municipalities in Bajura, and Tajakot and Aadachuli rural municipalities in Humla have been affected by food shortage.

There was no rain in these places for the last three months, which greatly affected crop production in the districts. Farmers in these places do not have access to irrigation facilities.

According to Chief at District Agriculture Development Office, Bajura, Ram Krishna Shrestha said production of food grains had decreased due to drought. “The locals could not plant crops and had to leave the fields barren as there was no rain for the last three months,” he added.

Ganga Raj Giri, a local  of Budhinanda Municipality, said seasonal crops had dried in the field before they could ripen due to drought. “We could not plant seasonal crops and vegetables due to this very reason,” he added.

People from Shreenagar, Humla, are also facing the same problem.Dhana Rup Bogati, a local from Madena village said they had been struggling to manage two meals a day as the crops they had planted had all dried in the field.