India Extends US$1 Million For Climate Resilient Agriculture In Zimbabwe
The Government of India has contributed almost US$1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Zimbabwe to help affected populations tackle climate shocks.
The contribution, provided through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, will be used to assist more than 5 200 smallholder farmers in Chiredzi and Mangwe districts.
Working alongside partners, WFP Zimbabwe will provide expertise through its Smallholder Agricultural Market Support (SAMS) programme, to strengthen the resilience and capacity of selected smallholder farmers.
The project will promote the cultivation of drought-tolerant small grains and legumes – reducing the negative effects of recurring droughts in Zimbabwe.
India played a key role in promoting the adoption of 2023 as the year of millet by the United Nations.
This funding highlights India’s growing contributions to the Global South on efforts towards strengthening resilience to climate change.
Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, Adel Abdellatif, said the contribution will ensure the social protection and resilience of smallholder farmers. He said:
Smallholders and family farmers are emblematic of the Global South, and of the challenge to ensure the Agenda 2030 benefits all, including the developing world’s rural and underprivileged communities.
Innovations to ensure the social protection and resilience of smallholder farmers abound, with India being a distinct leader developing new and context-appropriate practices to mitigate rural poverty.
This project is focused on increasing small grains production and market access. It will provide a good opportunity for successful Southern practices to be tested and scaled, improving the lives of rural Zimbabweans.
WFP Zimbabwe Country Director and Representative Francesca Erdelmann said taking action in anticipation of climatic shocks is an effective way to deal with the root causes of hunger. She added:
This contribution will help WFP and partners on the ground to plan more effectively.
Farmers will be trained on the advantages of growing drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum or millet, including techniques on how to reduce post-harvest losses.
This contribution will go a long way in empowering farmers with the skills needed for sustainable climate-smart agriculture.
Between 2020-2021, WFP and partners have supported 60 000 smallholder farmers – 70 per cent being female-headed households, across 30 rural districts through small grain production activities in Zimbabwe.
