THE United States has donated $13 million to Zimbabwe following the El-Nino-driven drought, which destroyed crops, leaving millions facing hunger-induced deaths.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Usaid Zimbabwe official, Jason Taylor said the funding is for seed and livestock support to mitigate the El Nino effects on Zimbabweans.
“These activities will mitigate the effects of the drought on vulnerable families and facilitate a quicker recovery. Livestock is a critical pillar of food security and resilience in vulnerable communities,” he said at the launch of the EI Nino Drought Mitigation inception workshop held in Bulawayo.
“We know that both small and large beasts are important assets for many households in the areas targeted by these interventions, so a holistic and effective response should be tailored to address that important element.”
Taylor said under the programme, communal farmers in four provinces Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland South and North will be provided with subsided cattle feed and seed. The cattle feed and seed will be distributed through the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
“We must not only help people endure the challenges of today, we need to build their capacity to overcome the challenges of tomorrow at the same time,” he said.
“We must also work on the systems level, engaging government partners to build the capacity of public and private sector systems that will serve these communities long after aid projects close.”
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Usaid has contributed nearly $117 million to the drought relief programmes since June 2015, with special focus to the food sector.
FAO head of operations, Jean Claude Urvoy described the 2015/2016 farming season as the driest in the last 35 years, saying 2,8 million people were faced hunger, adding the figure is expected to reach 4,1 million at the peak of the lean season early next year.
Meanwhile, Midlands Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (Agritex) agronomist, Innocent Dzuke said hunger-stricken villagers in the province were being cheated of their livestock by unscrupulous dealers.
“When we did a recent crop and livestock assessment in Gokwe, we discovered that desperate villagers are parting away with their goats for as little as 10kg of mealie meal,” he told stakeholders at the same meeting.
A 10kg bag of mealie meal costs $6, while the price of goats ranges from $30 to $50 each depending on the size.
The agronomist said 67% of households in Zvishavane and 66% in Mberengwa were in dire need of food aid.
