The Sunday Mail
Debra Matabvu
VULNERABLE families in urban areas will now receive monthly cash allocations instead of bags of maize, following widespread reports of abuse of the facility.
Over 25 000 households have been registered in the ongoing exercise for the cash-based assistance under the Food Mitigation Programme for the Vulnerable introduced by Government in January this year.
The mitigation programme, which is meant to cushion vulnerable members of society from the rising cost of living, was suspended after reports of abuse of the scheme surfaced. Allegations were that some maize meant for the programme was being diverted to the black market.
Beneficiaries have since been registered on a local mobile money platform, OneMoney, from where they are set to receive their cash allocations.
Responding to written questions from The Sunday Mail, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare said the registration of beneficiaries had been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the ministry said efforts were being made to ensure there were no further delays in getting the monetary allocations to the targeted groups.
“As of January 2020, Government introduced a roller meal subsidy programme to benefit vulnerable food insecure households. The implementation of the programme is facing challenges as some privileged groups and individuals have been diverting the subsidised mealie-meal to the lucrative black market.
“Government is therefore migrating from the in-kind assistance for urban beneficiaries to the cash-based assistance. Preparations to launch the programme are at an advanced stage. A total of 25 237 households have already been enrolled … registration has been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak which has been declared a (State of) National Disaster by Government.”
Zimbabwe has been facing food insecurity due to erratic rainfall that has negatively affected crop production, mainly the staple maize yields. Government has responded by introducing the food mitigation programme to both rural and urban citizens.
According to the Government assessment report, over 400 000 tonnes of maize and traditional grains had been distributed to 760 000 households across the country since January last year.
The report further stated that the erratic rainfall received during the 2019/20 season would see the continuation of both food mitigation programmes and cash-based systems.
“As at 31 December 2019, a cumulative 359 443 19 tonnes of grain had been distributed in both rural and urban areas,” reads the report.
“The 2019/20 agriculture season is not promising and this will mean Government will continue to mobilise resources to ensure continuation of both the in-kind assistance in rural areas and the cash-based assistance in urban areas.” Government is currently conducting a national crop assessment exercise and also importing grain to ensure that the country has enough maize.
