By Kuda Pembere
Government says its food distribution exercise to vulnerable communities will go beyond March up till the next rains to cushion Zimbabweans from the rising food insecurity caused by the El-Nino induced drought.
The national Food Deficit Mitigation Programme led by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare working with the World Food Programme (WFP) and other partners intends to reach more than 2.7 million people during the January to March 2024 lean season.
In an interview on the sidelines of a UNFPA donation of 19 vehicles, the Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Advocate Mercy Dinha said the extension comes on the back of the drought a lot of Zimbabweans are enduring.
“This contribution will go a long way in that, like when we are exercising those programs, because we not only going to end in March. It will be continuous as you know that this year the rains were not forthcoming. So are going to continue with the program until the next rains. So the contribution is going to help us in that gesture,” she said.
She also said the number of recipients for these food-handouts will increase after noticing there were others who did not have good yields as before.
“The program of food handouts in the form of maize and sorghum will continue to make sure they have the sadza they want. As you know the project is supposed to end this March but upon realizing there is drought, we did not have enough rains, we are continuing.
“We are seeing that the number of recipients will increase because there were not enough rains, and that those who had good yields last year did not produce the same as last year. So we will be covering those.
“We will be doing these food handouts to a lot of people this time around, the number is increasing because a lot of people did not have good yields,” the Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister added.
Meanwhile, the WFP announced its conclusion of the Lean Season Assistance program which began in January this year.
WFP Representative and Country Director Francesca Erdelman stated at one of the food aid distribution locations in Matabeleland South Province.
During the peak of the lean season, which occurs between January and March of 2024, at least 2.7 million individuals, or 25% of the rural population, were assessed as food insecure and in need of food assistance in the 2023–2024 agricultural season.
“This year’s harvest is particularly somber because the agricultural season is even worse than it has been in quite a number of years … We see across the country that the crop production is very much affected by the current El Nino drought,” Erdelmann said.
Chief Chundu of Hurungwe district has also raised concern over the vulnerability of local inhabitants whose crops wilted under the intense heat wrought by the phenomenon.
Chief Chundu, born Abel Mabsera, said households under his jurisdiction were now in urgent need of government food assistance and appealed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to fulfil his pledge to feed the hungry.
“The outlook is bleak. The crops failed due to the adverse weather conditions, perhaps it is climate change taking root.
“As the chief, l am appealing to President Mnangagwa to remember vulnerable communities, particularly the people of Hurungwe where we have witnessed a serious drought whose impacts we have already started experiencing,” he said.
