UNITED Nations resident co-ordinator to Zimbabwe, Bishow Parajuli, yesterday said 52 897 households in Chiredzi district are food insecure, with only less than half receiving assistance from government and donor agencies.
By Tatenda Chitagu
Addressing journalists in Masvingo yesterday after a three-day field visit to drought-affected rural wards in Chiredzi, Parajuli said: “These joint relief, recovery and resilience efforts by the multiple-stakeholders have maximised the impact of the limited resources to provide the much needed support to affected communities.
“These efforts have to be scaled up to reach more people and I commend donors for their support. The cash transfer relief assistance undertaken through EcoCash in Chikovo, irrigation schemes in Magogogwe and saving and lending schemes in Panganayi are transforming lives of communities, building resilience, while also giving long lasting connectivity among far-to-reach rural households with access to information.”
In Chikovo ward, cash transfer relief efforts by Plan International have benefitted 11 500 people, with each household receiving on average $35, through EcoCash, to meet the average daily calorie requirements.
Targeted beneficiaries have been attending training on resilience-building activities on nutrition, asset management, natural resource management and post-harvest management.
The programme, funded by the European Union/Echo seeks to reach 78 000 drought-affected people through cash transfers.
In Magogogwe ward, a 50 hectare irrigation scheme will sustain livelihoods of 360 farmers with support from donor agencies. Of the 52 897 households in need of food aid, only 22 179 are benefitting.
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The UN said nationwide, as a result of the drought, some 4,1 million rural people will not only be food insecure during the peak hunger period running between January and March next year, but the situation also threatens to reverse gains made over the past five years to resuscitate basic social services.
Of the $360 million requested for the period of April 2016 to March 2017 under the Humanitarian Response Plan, nearly $190 million has been committed by several donors enabling the UN and humanitarian partners to reach 1,5 million people with relief assistance.
Parajuli said 270 boreholes and three piped water schemes were rehabilitated, restoring safe water supply to nearly 75 000 people by Unicef.
