THE United Kingdom’s Department of International Development (DFID) will today launch a $72 million Livelihoods and Food Security Programme in a move meant to increase incomes and reduce poverty.
BY VICTORIA MTOMBA
The programme will be implemented over four years and targets small-holder farming households in chronically food and nutrition insecure districts.
The programme will benefit 126 975 small-holder farmers in eight districts namely Manicaland cluster (that include Mutare, Makoni and Mutasa), Mashonaland cluster (that includes Guruve and Mt Darwin) and the Midlands cluster comprising Kwekwe, Gokwe South and Shurugwi.
The launch will be attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Joseph Made, Britain’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Catriona Laing and head of DFID Zimbabwe Annabel Gerry.
Zimbabwe experienced poor rainfall this year which will have an impact on the output.
UK DFID permanent secretary Mark Lowcock recently said UK was committed to assisting Zimbabwe. Lowcock said the department has assisted millions of people through food security programmes.
The department has also assisted 350 000 girls in the country to go to school through bursaries and has improved access to clean water and sanitation for people in the country.
