WORLD Food Programme (WFP) representative and country director, Eddie Rowe yesterday assured the nation that their food handouts will not be politicised during election period.
BY KUDZAI MUCHENJEKWA
“We know there is an issue, but the system that we are now using mitigates such impacts, every assistance is done on a digital platform and once an individual has been registered, it is only that individual that will be eligible to receive assistance. There is a potential for such issues, but we will do our best to mitigate them” Rowe said.
Speaking at a Press briefing, Rowe admitted that cases of politicisation of food aid had been reported, however, this year things will be different because they had now adopted an electronic way of giving out food items.
WFP is engaged in the country strategic plan (CSP), which is meant to run from 2017 to 2021 to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), which includes no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality and clean water and sanitation.
WFP launched the CSP last year in April in Zimbabwe after a drought, which threatened livelihoods. It focuses on supporting long-term national social protection and resilience building to achieve zero hunger, while maintaining its humanitarian assistance capacity.
Rowe said WFP has set targets and indicators on an annual basis to check the progress which they had made on these SDGs
Rowe also applauded the work that the government was doing in helping to attain these SDGs, saying they were only here to help the government which had accommodated them well.
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“We have enjoyed tremendous support from the government and we have seen a lot of collaboration from the government and we are prepared to continue working them,” Rowe said.
United Nations resident co-ordinator Bishow Parajuli applauded WFP for its innovation.
WFP is also looking into increasing their budget for next year so as to reach many people in the country as it is only present in 35 districts, which include Mutasa, Mudzi, Zvishavane and Kariba.
