The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will be scaling up its food distribution programme to cover 3,5 million people in Zimbabwe, it has been learnt.
The efforts are expected to complement Government’s ongoing efforts to support the 7,7 million Zimbabweans that are considered to be food insecure following the worst drought in 40 years.
Overall, WFP, which plans to feed about 4,1 million people every month, has also expanded its urban assistance programme from Epworth to seven other new areas, increasing its reach in urban communities to 100 000 people from 19 000.
Introducing school feeding schemes in urban communities has also been mulled.
In e-mailed responses, WFP Zimbabwe country director and representative, Mr Eddie Rowe, said more funds are still required if the programme’s targets are to be met. “With 7,7 million Zimbabweans struggling to feed themselves, WFP is scaling up its operations to deliver 37 000 metric tonnes of food to 3,5 million people this month of February,” he said.
“WFP’s scale-up is designed to complement interventions by the Government and NGOs (non-governmental organisations). WFP is targeting the 4,1 million most food-insecure Zimbabweans and working with Government and partners to ensure these people get their right entitlements on time each month.”
President Mnangagwa declared a State of National Disaster in August last year, paving way for the launch of a Revised Zimbabwe Humanitarian Appeal to the international community in an effort to mobilise funds.
This was in order to cushion the population from the effects of drought.
WFP has managed to raise almost half of the US$212 million needed to cover operations until the end of July.
“WFP was already delivering its urban assistance programme to 19 000 people in Epworth and has expanded this month to reach a further seven domains and assist 100 000 people in total,” said Mr Rowe.
“Funding permitting, we would be scaling up to 200 000 people by June 2020. WFP is also exploring other ways to improve food security among urban communities with a focus on school feeding.”
Government is scaling up its own food distribution exercise.
The Sunday Mail understands that food distribution officers have carried out surveys targeting vulnerable people aged 65 years and above in Kuwadzana, Dzivarasekwa and other vulnerable suburbs.
Food will be distributed to these communities once the scouting exercise is complete.
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Professor Paul Mavima said Government was working in close cooperation with WFP and other developmental organisations to ensure that everyone who needs food gets assistance.
Government, he added, had also lifted the ban on GMO grain imports to supplement its stocks.
“Working with WFP, we have already covered a lot of ground, including urban areas in Harare and Bulawayo,” he said.
“And yes, the Government has lifted the ban on GMO grain for the purposes of ensuring food security.
“But this will be subjected to strict monitoring so that they do not germinate anywhere and spill into our seed stocks.”
Zimbabwe, like most countries in the region, is in the throes of the worst drought in 40 years.
About 59 percent of the vulnerable people are in rural areas, where Government is concentrating its efforts.
Maize imports have since been stepped up to 110 000 tonnes per month,considered enough to guarantee food security.
