In this exclusive episode of In Conversation with Trevor hosted by Alpha Media Holdings chairman Trevor Ncube (TN), Barbara Tulu Clemens (BC), the World Food Programme’s country director in Zimbabwe, discusses the path to restoring the country’s legacy as Africa’s "breadbasket.",
With two decades of humanitarian experience, Clemens reflected on her transition from high finance to the frontlines of global food security.
She highlighted the urgent need to view hunger data not as a political "report card" but as a vital tool for sustainable impact.
Drawing on her dual heritage as an African-American, Clemens argued that cultural objectivity is a "superpower" essential for navigating the complex challenges of modern multilateralism. Below are excerpts from the interview.
TN: Greetings and welcome to In Conversation with Trevor, brought to you by Heart and Soul Broadcasting Services. Today I'm in conversation with Barbara Tulu Clemens, representative and country director of the World Food Programme in Zimbabwe. So, I want to start with something I believe: you believe in working for the greater good. That can be difficult in this environment, where there's a fight against the greater good, where multilateralism is being seen as a four-letter word. How do you do your work for the greater good when the powers that be look down upon it?
BC: My personal philosophy, Trevor — first of all, I'm always optimistic and deeply religious. I believe that we have these constraints and challenges that come upon us, but I also believe that within them are growth opportunities. Our job is just to weather those storms. So even as you speak about multilateralism and the challenges we're facing in the humanitarian and development space, the opportunities are huge for those who are truly committed and interested in finding them. I think we have a tremendous opportunity to deliver real impact and sustainable solutions. If we're fair to ourselves and to our detractors, this is a conversation that has been had for many years. I think we've just had our "come to Jesus" moment — it has to be now. And it challenges us to think outside the box. That's what I find exciting about this space.
TN: So, let's look at the opportunities. In the first instance, I like that thing you raise about listening. In Zimbabwe, you've been listening. What opportunities are you seeing within the current challenges relating to your work?
BC: I'm seeing that the government has been talking about this for years. When WFP started off in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe was the bread basket of southern Africa, and our office was the procurement hub for the Great Lakes region. We only procured from Zimbabwe. There is a desire for the government to go back to that. It's enshrined in the National Development Plan, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, to create village business units, aggregate them around large anchor farms, and take steps back to that era where Zimbabwe was indeed an agricultural powerhouse. What I like about that is you don't have to imagine — you just have to know the history of this country and the history of WFP's work here for over 20 years. It would have been unimaginable then that we would be providing food assistance, because Zimbabwe grew enough food to feed itself. Globally, we have more than enough available food that no one should go to bed hungry. The issues are about access — not all of us have access to that food. And even when we do have access, nutritionally, how we utilize it — we lose so much to post-harvest losses. And even when availability, access, and utilization are there, we have the issue of stability: cyclical and episodic weather or climate-related changes, and inconsistent access to credit for smallholder farmers to expand and reach markets. These are the four dimensions we are fighting against. There's a lot of opportunity in Zimbabwe because the roadmap is all on paper. Some countries are starting from scratch, but here a lot of the heavy lifting has been done.
TN: You've been with WFP for 20 years. Has the nature of food insecurity changed from 2005 to now? How does it manifest itself?
BC: I think it has changed in how we view food insecurity. In most countries where WFP is operational, governments and the humanitarian sector lead assessments on food security. Years ago, that was used as a planning tool, and the results were embedded into government budgeting. One tragic thing that has happened in many countries is that it's now viewed as a report card. I don't know about you, but some people would dread bringing their report card home to their parents. That's wrong, because it doesn't serve the people in need, nor does it serve those making policies. If you look at it as a report card, you can invite more people around the table to plan interventions — not just to say a district is food insecure, but to understand why. If you understand why, you can layer in programs that address the why while also saving lives. That opportunity has eroded, consistently, wherever WFP provides food assistance. It's a reluctance — I don't know if it's political or if there's outside influence — but that has eroded our ability to help those in need. It's a missed opportunity.
TN: Your bio says you're an African American, born in Liberia, grew up between North Carolina, Maryland, and New York. In a world that wants to put us in boxes, has Africa always felt.
BC: I left Liberia at four and grew up in the States, but my mother did a very good job grounding us in our culture on both sides. I've always felt like an outlier — either one or the other. I like that because it has made me objective. I can understand both sides. There were hard conversations with my mom, my dad, friends and family on both sides. I bring a unique perspective. For example, when I first came to Zimbabwe during this assignment, we were putting together a targeting document for the US government. My staff would digress, and I said: let me tell you one thing about Americans. We think when you digress, either you don't know or you're trying to cover up. Africans are not like that — they just think you forgot something and need to go back. I said: get to the point. People should know within the first two or three sentences what you want. Why are you taking up my time? So many misconceptions are just cultural orientation. In Liberia, being fat is not an insult. If you're too skinny, people think something is wrong with you.
TN: It sounds to me that your African roots are a superpower to you.
BC: I think so.
TN: Your middle name — Tulu. What does it remain?
BC: In my father's dialect — my father is from Liberia — it means "the smallest, but the most significant."
TN: Has it had a life of its own in your life?
BC: I think so. I'm the youngest, the smallest, probably the one they had least expectations for. But I'm resilient.
TN: What led you to walk away from finance to join WFP in Sudan in 2005?
BC: It happened around 9/11. I left Ernst & Young, took some time off. An old audit client called me about a CFO role at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. He put my name in, and that's how I ended up in the humanitarian space. After a couple of years, I decided to apply to different UN agencies. Serendipitously, I got an interview with WFP, and here I am 20 years later. It wasn't planned, but God listens when you speak.
TN: You've served in Sudan, Malawi, South Africa, Italy, Jordan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana. What has this cost you, and what has it brought you?
BC: It has cost me separation from friends and family and what is familiar. Luckily, we grew up with the invention of Facebook — that's how I keep in touch. There is a disconnect when you finally get together. There have been times I wished I could have been there more. But I think I've gained a broader perspective. I can sit, listen to a problem, separate myself emotionally. Had I not had this experience, I wouldn't be as effective in finding solutions or understanding root causes. It has benefited me more than it has cost.
TN: Did Zimbabwe call you, or did you come looking for Zimbabwe?
BC: Zimbabwe is unique to my heart. When I joined WFP in Sudan, many Zimbabweans worked there. I became friendly with them. Then I went to Malawi. When the staffing coordinator gave me options, I took Zimbabwe. This is not my first duty station here — I was here from 2009 to 2012 as a finance officer. I often tell everyone that Zimbabwe was the only country where I got to do the job WFP hired me to do, without having to do the work of my subordinates because they were so capacitated. It allowed me to stretch myself, and that was the catalyst for them calling me to Rome to help write the policy document on cash-based transfers. When I left, someone has me on video saying, “I'm not going to say goodbye because I might come back as country director. “My CD then said, “Oh, you're too ambitious. “Years later, the regional director called me and said, “Two places — Tanzania or Zimbabwe.” I said, “Zimbabwe. I'm coming back.”
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