President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urgently appealed for international assistance, stating that Zimbabwe needs more than US$2 billion to mitigate the impending famine caused by the El Niño-induced drought. The severity of the situation has led the government to declare a state of disaster.
Interestingly, this declaration follows a period during which President Mnangagwa’s ZANU PF party allocated substantial funds to electoral campaigns and generously rewarded ministers, judges, lawmakers, and chiefs. Said Mnangagwa:
<blockquote>
By this Declaration, I also call upon all Zimbabweans of goodwill, including those in the diaspora; the international community, United Nations Agencies, Development and Humanitarian Partners, International Financial Institutions; the private sector, churches and other faith-based organisations, as well as individuals to generously donate towards ameliorating this State of National Disaster…
Preliminary assessments show that Zimbabwe requires in excess of US$2 billion towards various interventions we envisage in the spectrum of our national response.
</blockquote>
Ironically, the declaration of a State of disaster comes as the government is pushing to pass a controversial law, the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill whose provisions are inimical to freedom of association.
In his address to the nation on Wednesday, April 3, President Mnangagwa revealed that a staggering 80% of Zimbabwe experienced below-normal rainfall.
The anticipated grain yield for the 2023/24 agricultural season in Zimbabwe stands at 868,273 tonnes. However, this falls significantly short of the nation’s food requirements, resulting in a cereal deficit of nearly 680,000 metric tonnes.
To achieve food security, Zimbabwe must secure a minimum of 2.2 million metric tonnes of grains annually.
President Mnangagwa reassured the nation that despite the cereal deficit, imports will play a crucial role in bridging the gap. He said:
<blockquote>
Top on our priorities is securing food for all Zimbabweans. No Zimbabwean must succumb to or die from hunger.
Adequate resources will, therefore, be mobilised and re-directed towards national food security, including through supplementary grain imports.
All available grain in the country will be secured through competitive prices and payment towards encouraging farmers to release and sell available grain, including to the Grain Marketing Board.
A robust and responsive mechanism has been put in place to guarantee that food reaches needy communities timely.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Zimbabwe Seeks US$2 Billion To Avert Famine

With a food crisis looming in the country due to the current drought, CCC MPs have expressed fears that opposition supporters may be sidelined when the government commences food distribution in the countryside.
The Government last week said that 26 per cent of the country’s population is food insecure for the January to March period.
Matabeleland North is the most affected province with 42 per cent of its 830,000 population in urgent need of aid, compared to just 12 per cent in Mashonaland West province.
Cabinet Ministers have said food distribution is already underway in rural provinces and deny political interference in the process.
However, speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Chikanga MP Lynette Karenyi (CCC) expressed concerns that the government’s food distribution programme could be manipulated to benefit only ZANU PF supporters. She said, as quoted by <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/mps-sound-alarm-over-partisan-food-distribution-level-of-grain-reserves/">ZimLive</a>:
<blockquote>
I want to find out from the Minister, what the policy is to ensure that people who are conducting the registration process are not going to use political party lines.
Although the law says the village heads are supposed to be apolitical, people who may be linked to the party I belong to will not be registered.
What is the policy about ensuring that the registration is not politicised?
</blockquote>
In response, the Deputy Minister of Public Service and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha maintained that “no one is supposed to starve.” She said:
<blockquote>
We distribute, we don’t consider the political affiliation of a recipient. We distribute to people belonging to other parties, food is going to those areas because the president is saying no one is supposed to starve.
It means everyone, not ZANU PF members only. So, when we are distributing, we are giving to everyone.
We are leaving no one. It is going to go to all corners of the country.
</blockquote>
Mbizo MP Corban Madzivanyika (CCC) appeared to challenge the government’s claim that there is enough grain in stock to meet national needs. Said Madzivanyika:
<blockquote>
Just last week or two weeks ago, the parliamentary portfolio committee on lands committee on lands, agriculture, fisheries, water and rural development had a meeting with the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe which indicated that they have enough grain reserves.
A week later, the committee travelled across the country, in particular to Norton and Banket, but then we realised that there were no grain reserves in those areas.
</blockquote>
Public Service and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima denied claims the country’s grain reserves were empty saying: “A person cannot conclude after visiting two storage facilities and then conclude for the whole country”.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Opposition MPs Concerned Over Partisan Distribution Of Drought Relief, Level Of Grain Reserves

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) says it is planning a food relief programme targeting 700 000 people in Zimbabwe.
The country’s food deficit has been exacerbated by a poor harvest and the Ukraine war.
WFP country representative Francesca Edelmann on Tuesday told Reuters that Zimbabwe’s government is working with agencies to provide food aid for 3.8 million people.
WFP has budgeted US$40 million for the food aid programme to cushion millions over the peak of the hunger season. Said Edelmann:
<blockquote>
I do not think this is a famine as yet, but that does not mean that it is good. We are preparing for a response that will take off in October up to March.
We are working with government on a joint plan for the food deficit mitigation programme and that is for 3.8 million people.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe requires 2.2 million tonnes of maize annually for human and livestock consumption.
However, the govenment has said it expects 1.56 million tonnes from the 2021-2022 growing season due to poor rainfall.
Edelmann said the number of food insecure people had risen from 2.9 million to 3.8 million.
WFP warned that more households could go hungry as grain stocks dwindle. | <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/13/wfp-plans-food-relief-for-700000-citizens-in-zimbabwe">Al Jazeera</a>

WFP Plans Food Relief For 700 000 People In Zimbabwe

The United Nations (UN) has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause widespread famines of “biblical proportions” and result in an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
The global organisation says the number of people without adequate food could double by the end of the year – which translates to 250 million people.
Reports indicate that 21 000 people already die of hunger every day, and the number could go up if no help is forthcoming.
The lockdowns that have been adopted by most governments across the world have limited people’s access to food supplies and incomes have dried up.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has urged donor nations to pay $1.9bn of already-pledged commitments.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2020/04/coronavirus-threatening-food-security-200423184116164.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Al Jazeera</a></h4>

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