Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
The Government of Zimbabwe has sent out a begging bowl seeking assistance to feed about five million Zimbabweans who are facing imminent hunger because of the El Nino induced drought that wrecked havoc the Southern countries of Africa.
The food deficit that the county is facing is bound to affect both the rural folks and the urbanites.
Previously, President ED Mnanganwa had declared that the country had enough grain stocked to sustain the country.
This has since changed.
President Mnanganwa has declared a state of disaster as food monitoring agencies reported that about five million people face food insecurity.
The country needs about US$3 billion to avert a starvation for both rural and urban folks.
On 1 March this year the President declared that no one Zimbabwean would die of hunger despite the food insecurity that came about the drought that saw crops wilting under severe high temperatures that enveloped the whole country with little rainfall that resultedin little or no yeilds at all.
On May 5, President Mnanganwa was to reiterate his statement that no one would die of hunger despite the facts on the ground. He said this at a funeral gathering that his government had put in place plans to avert hunger.
This past Sunday, the Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare convened a meeting at a local hotel to mitigate on strategies to be implemented to assist millions of Zimbabweans who are facing food deficit challenges.
Addressing delegates at the meeting, Minister Moyo confirmed that the President had sent out an appeal to the international community seeking assistance for food.
The flash appeal sought is worth US$3.3 billion.
“A flash appeal, normally is done to immediately ask for response from the international community, in order to assist a country that has declared a state of disaster like we have done.”
Minister Moyo went on to emphasize that when a state of disaster has been declared, enforcement comes into effect so as to ensure compliance.
“The disaster can be finished by enforcement, the powers of enforcement are found in the Civil Protection Act, for those who do not know it you can go and read it. We can enforce.
“Let me declare, I am the Minister of Public Service, not Civic Service, I know how to enforce.”
He went on to say that President Mnanganwa placed them in leadership positions and “must enforce” so that the general populace survives the impending hunger.
The delicates comprised of District Coordinator, Rural District Officers, Social Welfare Officers, Civil Protection Officers, National Railways of Zimbabwe representative and Grain Marketing Board officer.
Mitigation measures are being drawn from the Strategic Grain Reserves, Isiphala seNkosi, which is owned by the President. Minister Moyo explained that the President purchased the grain from farmers to augment the reserves.
“He has built it so that in times of disasters like this, he can make the people of Zimbabwe survive. The Siphala SeNkosi which the GMB is holding is not theirs, it belongs to the President.”
The distribution of grain from various GMB depots will involve the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), who have, through a Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, are responsible for the environment and disaster risk management.”
The minister said each individual in a homestead or household shall receive 7.5 kilograms of maize per month for the first three months, even if its an infant.
In urban areas individuals will receive the same equivalent the monetary value through mobile money transfers.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) has pledged to raise US $430 million of the US$ 3 billion to help feed people who are facing food shortages.
The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Zimbabwe, Edward Kallon said that the country’s grain situation was “grim” with just about 700 000 tones of the staple maize crop haversted in the 2023 to 2024 croppi g season season of 22 Million tonnes.
” The impact of El Nino has negativily affected local production, with estimates of 52% shortfall. According to the Crop Assessment Report, Zimbabwe’s crop production was negatively affected with 40% maize cropbclassified as ‘poor’ and 60% as a write off.”He said.
By last Saturday, the GMB and NRZ concured that grain had been loaded onto wagons headed to such places as Plumtree, Zvishavane and Bubi District.
Unfortunately there was a hiccup of the shortage of fuel for NRZ and some road transporters.
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