About 3 000 hectares of maize and other crops have dried up in Muchinga Province’s Isoka district, one of the areas still suffering from drought.

Luangwa district is another area hit by the dry spell which left most crops dead.

Isoka district commissioner Evenwell Mutambo said the area suffered from a prolonged dry spell between the end of January and February.

“This would greatly affect the household food security of hundreds of households,” Mutambo warned.

He said an estimated 3 000 hectares of maize, rice and other crops have died.

District agriculture coordinator (DACO) Victor Siame advised farmers in the area to embark on diversification by growing drought-tolerant crops such as cassava and sorghum.

In Luangwa, it is reported that farms along the Luangwa River were also affected.

“We have not had rains for the past three weeks and most crops were destroyed. Termites are now grazing the crops due to the dry spells,” farmer Vincent Mwale told africanfarming.com.

He said help is needed to avert famine in the area.

Government has not yet commented, but has in the past distributed early maturing seed to farmers affected by the recent outbreak of pests.