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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief

GOVERNMENT has resumed food distribution under the drought relief programme in Matabeleland South province where beneficiaries from vulnerable homesteads from six districts benefiting.

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) 2022 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report, about 30 percent of households across the country were projected to be food-insecure by the fourth quarter of last year.

At peak about 38 percent of the rural households were projected to be cereal insecure, which is an increase from 27 percent reported in 2021.

According to the Food and Nutrition Security Policy (2021) food security exists when all people at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to food, which is safe and consumed in sufficient quantity and quality to meet the dietary needs and food preference. 

This has to be supported by an environment of adequate sanitation, health services, and care allowing for a health, and active life. The Government is implementing programmes to achieve sustainable food security through initiatives to build resilience, among communities. 

Matabeleland South provincial social welfare officer, Mr Criswell Nyakudya, said the province the Government has enough grain to cater for all those who were registered under the drought relief programme.

A total of 202 108 households will benefit under the programme and the province will distribute 6 063 metric tonnes of maize to communities from January to March, he said.

Mr Nyakudya said the allocation for all districts had increased while last year the province had an allocation of 5 000 metric tonnes for the last quarter.

“Now that we have started the peak hunger period, which normally starts around January, we were authorised to use new figures, as more people are hungry in terms of the ZimVAC report,” he said. 

“There is a Cabinet directive that we should distribute food and people shouldn’t be worried as we have enough food to distribute to everyone who is on the list. 

“As I speak food is being distributed across the province and the programme is going on well. Last year during the fourth quarter we were supposed to distribute in all the seven districts of the province but that didn’t happen due to paperwork issues hence Bulilima and Gwanda were left out. 

“Everything is now OK as the paperwork in Bulilima has been sorted and for Gwanda we expect it to come any day from now. Some districts have started distributing now and others will start this week.”

Mr Lungisani Nyoni from Artherstone Village in Ward 6 said they have been looking forward to this intervention by the Government after recording a poor harvest last year.

“We are grateful for this intervention from Government because the situation is dire. Last year our harvest was poor and this year things are not looking good at all as some of the crops are wilting,” he said. 

“This means our hunger situation will even be worse. I’m now relieved because of what Government has done, as I now know that my family will have food to eat.”

Gogo Silibaziso Ndlovu from Mabuze Village in Ward 6 said the intervention by social welfare is a testimony that the Government was concerned about the welfare of citizens and hoped the programme will be continued.

Councillor for Ward 6 in Insiza District, Mr Biswerk Ncube said it was a relief to see people finally receiving food assistance. He said people have been constantly coming to him seeking food assistance and paid tribute to the Government for easing the burden on vulnerable people. He said there was a need to incorporate more households as almost the entire community was affected.

“If there is hunger then people can’t work and children can’t go to school. It also leads to criminal activities. This intervention from Government has gone a long way,” said Cllr Ncube.

“Government under the Second Republic has said it will leave no one and no place behind and we are glad that our ward hasn’t been left out.” — @DubeMatutu