Agriculture authorities say they need over 282, 000 metric tons of maize seeds to support farmers who were affected by dry spell in the southern part of the country.

Communities in Lower Shire have pleaded with government to provide them with long term measures for survival as most of their crops have wilted due to prolonged dry spells.

Fears of imminent a looming hunger have engulfed people in the Lower Shire following dry spells that have hit the area.

Hunger is reported to have hit hard some parts of Chikwawa as communities are surviving on Mango and Ziziphus Mauritiana fruits.

Farmers in Phalombe whose crops got damaged by dry spell have requested government and players in the agriculture sector to assist them with farm inputs to venture into winter cropping.

The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has warned that most parts of the country will be hit by dry spells this week.