Several villages in Karenni state are likely to face with food shortage in the coming of 2011 year, while the there is still low rainfall and could not plough the fields being today, which has resulted in damage to cash crops, according to sources inside.
Like Bawlake and Deemawso-Wangot, Yaynipot, Hothar, Nanaw, Showlot, Sawlo, Hawkham, Dawtamagyi and Dawngeku villages – especially Daw Raw Ku and Hoyar villages are affected by drought pushing them towards poverty, said a local resident.
"We both of Daw Raw Ku and Hoyar villages owned 100 acres of paddy fields, but only half of the fields have been plough. The rest of the paddy fields which far from the irrigation are left."
The residents in Karenni state that this year's harvests could be adversely affected by the late start of the monsoons and continuing low levels of rainfall. Many fear crop yields would be substantially reduced by water shortages, especially if rainfall continues to be less than normal.
A farmer from Shandaw township who previously come into the Thai-Burma border and working instead of farming in Karenni state said, "Even I have a job to earn for my family here (Thailand), I am on worry for my family and my people those who left inside. Because many farmers are relying on farming and if the situation as hard as I heard or dry up, certainly they are going to face with poverty in the next coming year," he blamed on the weather.
The source also said that the residents reported to meet with Karenni resistance leaders and asked for help to dealing with the case of starvation in the coming winter.
