Assistance provided to Chin villages hit by food shortages

26 November 2013: A group of local NGOs provides technical and financial assistance to build food storage for each of 30 villages in Chin State.

The programme will help Mara villages affected by food shortages in Thantlang, Matupi and Paletwa township to put up buildings for storing crops.

One of the NGO staff members said in the Hakha Post that the construction would be completed between November 2013 and March 2014, and that it would be used for keeping not only rice but also other produce.

“People in Mara area face food scarcity because their harvest this year didn’t produce much yield,” added the staff member.

Funded and initiated as a ‘Food Bank’ programme by Hakha-based UNDP in colloboration with the local NGOs, the project provides US$4,000 each to the villages.

Six NGOs based in the towns of Hakha, Matupi, Paletwa and Mindat team up with local committee members of the villages in implementing the project, according to the Hakha Post.

Meanwhile, Leikang villagers from Lautu area in Thantlang township have contributed bags of rice and corn towards helping locals in Ruava-B village of Matupi township facing severe food shortages.

Local media reports said that the emergency aid had been carried on their backs by villagers and also transported to the village using horses and motorbikes.

Although it has been nearly a year since the government of Chin State was informed of the situation, it has not taken any action so far.#