A food shortage and loss of income will affect the people of Eastern Highlands as the dry season continues.
Solepa Thomas Arganisafa, the secretary of the Eastern Highlands Agricultural Society, said “food gardens are wilting under the scorching sun and the water sources drying up.
“Livelihoods of the many villagers in the Asaro Valley and other parts of the Eastern Highlands are at stake.”
Arganifa challenged the provincial and national disaster committees to assess the situation and help the simple villagers.
“This will assist in facilitating assessment and reports to the National Disaster Committee so that relief assistance can be sourced for other districts in the province who are also facing acute hunger from the dry spell.”
He said that the change in weather pattern was also drying up water wells and rivers where people use to go for drinking water.
The El-Nino weather pattern which is bringing no rainfall is expected to continue till next year.