The Sunday Mail
Tafadzwa Kadani and Livingstone Marufu
Government’s appeal for assistance in its bid to guarantee food security is starting to bear fruit with partners like China, the UN World Food Programme and other NGOs coming in with aid.
This come shortly after Sadc declared a regional drought disaster caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
According to Sadc officials, approximately 28-30 million people in Southern Africa face severe levels of hunger and food insecurity and if no action is taken, this could easily rise to 49 million.
The number of affected people in Zimbabwe has increased from 2,8 million to four million but the number is expected to decrease as Government and its partners move in with assistance.
Last month, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the country needed about US$1,5 billion to mitigate the effects of drought.
On Wednesday, China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Huang Ping, said: “The Chinese government and people attach great importance to the recent severe drought and famine in Zimbabwe and sympathise with the suffering of the affected people.
“In this regard, the Chinese government decided to provide rice as emergency food aid worth 160 million yuan (approximately US$24,6 million) . . . . to Zimbabwe, implementing President Xi Jinping’s commitment at the Focac Johannesburg Summit that in the next three years, the Chinese side would provide one billion yuan in emergency food aid to African countries.
“Currently, China is working closely with relevant departments of the Zimbabwean side to ensure food aid arrives in the disaster area as soon as possible, and to help alleviate the famine in the country. I believe, with the help of the international community, the Zimbabwean Government and people will overcome the difficulties.”
And WFP Zimbabwe spokesperson Mr Tinashe Mubaira added: “We are currently working on two joint programmes with the Government and other organisations to provide food assistance and also create or rehabilitate assets.” One project is targetting to give 730 000 people 50kg of maize, 750ml of cooking oil, 2kg of beans and cereals, or alternatively US$11 each.
“There are 20 districts which we are assisting at the moment which include Mwenezi, Buhera, Mbire and Hwange, among others,” Mr Mubaira added.
“Previously we built 900 small dams around the country which are being used by locals for different purposes and Mwenezi was our pilot project. WFP will be introducing new projects this April.”
These projects include water harvesting and irrigation schemes, nutrition gardens, dip tanks and fish ponds. Since 2012, WFP Zimbabwe has rehabilitated or created over 900 projects, 114 of which were done in 2015.
Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira recently assured the nation of Government’s commitment to food security. Mr Innocent Katsande, programmes communications co-ordinator at Oxfam, said they had adopted the stance taken by WFP in extending the lean season.
“The lean season will be extended as people’s needs will go beyond the normal lean season. As Oxfam, just like WFP, we will continue to support the vulnerable after the normal lean season has ended as long as the needs are still there,” he said. The issue is about saving lives and reducing suffering. We hope to continue supporting the vulnerable and build their resilience to similar shocks over time and ensure access to food and water,” Mr Katsande added.
Oxfam is implementing a UNDP climate adaptation project in Buhera, Chimanimani and Chiredzi districts as part of resilience building, and will initially focus on Masvingo, Matebeleland South and Midlands for food and water support to vulnerable households.
“Currently resources to support 13 000 people with water and food through cash transfers have been mobilised internally while we engage other donors. A detailed assessment is being done in the focus areas to inform the detailed response strategy by Oxfam and support fund-raising efforts,” said Mr Katsande.
Oxfam is working with Environment, Water and Climate Ministry, UNDP, Plan International, Christian Care, and the Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress, among others, to support the vulnerable.
“Plans are available to form a consortium to support the vulnerable as the needs are increasing,” Mr Katsande said.
“We also have plans to have our support in areas like Gutu and Matobo.
“With additional resources we plan to reach out to a target of 200 000 in Masvingo, Matebeleland South and Midlands provinces supporting the vulnerable but will ensure co-ordination with other agencies through the food assistance working group,” Mr Katsande added.
Government has imported and will continue importing maize to ensure people, whether in rural or urban settings, do not starve.
The current El Niño is now the strongest on record, leaving millions in the trail of undecorated droughts and destructive flooding which impend the lives of families and children across the world.
