Harare, (New Ziana) — Humanitarian food aid should be used as a stop-gap measure as communities must be self-reliant and embark on food security initiatives that empower them against a vicious poverty cycle, a government official has said.
Insiza acting district development coordinator, Zibusiso Maphosa said food aid was only a short-term response mechanism that did not solve communities’ larger food security challenges.
Addressing a meeting of local district leaders, private and non-governmental players involved in humanitarian work in Insiza, Maphosa said the food assistance programme in the area had been successfully carried out due to the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders taking part.
In future, he advocated for community resilience against climate- induced shocks, such as drought, to better shield people from the dangers and effects of food insecurity.
Stakeholders had gathered to reflect on the food aid project that had been successfully implemented by a local non-governmental organisation – Zimbabwe Project Trust (ZimPro) – in response to widespread food shortages in the district.
Up to 20 828 people from 5 326 families in six wards of Insiza district benefited from the initiative.
Beginning in November last year, food distribution in the region was earmarked for three months, or three cycles targeting those severely affected by drought.
The impact of drought in the district was devastating.
Speaking at the same occasion, ZimPro Executive Director, Tobias Chipare, said: “Our major focus was to combat hunger and support vulnerable communities, a lifeline for many families who were struggling through the severe food crisis.”
Insiza district is located in agro-ecological region 4 and 5 which is predominantly a dry region characterized by prolonged dry spells and poor sandy soils that result in low yields.
Communities in all the 23 wards live in one of the country’s harshest climates, where seasonal rainfall is less than the normally expected 650 millimetres, making farming nearly impossible without irrigation.
Average temperatures in the district have also been on the rise, with erratic rainfall further exacerbating drought conditions. As a result, the district is regularly hit by devastating food shortages.
The food aid, comprising mealie-meal, cooking oil and sugar beans, was a response to the unfolding food insecurity crisis in the district.
“The intervention was in the form of conditional commodity vouchers to support the most drought affected households,” said Maphosa, adding that the aim was to save lives, protect key household livelihoods assets, and avoid negative coping strategies such as selling livestock and land, withdrawing children from school, children being used in casual labour for food, child marriages and sex work.
The food distribution marked a monumental occasion in ZimPro’s endeavour to coordinate work with the local government in the district, civil society groups, and other humanitarian actors to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change and variability and empower the local communities’ resilience.
New Ziana
