TANZANIA’S Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye has warned of severe food and water shortages in many parts of the country due to prolonged drought. Sumaye told parliamentarians in Dodoma in central Tanzania that 13 of 20 mainland regions have been affected due to dry spells, and that a preliminary assessment revealed a food deficit of 680940 tonnes. Sumaye said that areas hit most were the normally semi-arid northern, eastern and central regions. “I appeal to the people to use the existing food stocks carefully, while those who will be lucky to harvest this season, should not sell all their stocks,” Sumaye said. Tanzanian Agriculture Minister William Kusila said on Friday that the government and several international agencies, including the UN World Food Programme, were carrying out a final assessment.