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Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
The Government through Treasury has allocated over ZiG $2 million to Mashonaland West Province for the transportation and distribution of grain to vulnerable people to mitigate the effects of El Nino-induced drought.
Distribution of grain in some districts of the province commenced on Monday, with the rest of the districts expected to start this week.
Informing the Provincial Development Committee (PDC) meeting in Chinhoyi yesterday, provincial social development officer, Mrs Agnes Mutowo said the process commenced well in Zvimba and Mhondoro-Ngezi districts, with the two having been allocated 190 tonnes of grain.
People in the rural parts of the other five districts will also start receiving grain this week.
“The programme is resuming from May to July after the declaration of a state of emergency due to the El-Nino-induced drought.
“Grain movement started in Zvimba and Mhondoro-Ngezi yesterday (Monday), where 150 metric tonnes and 40 metric tonnes are supposed to be moved,” she said.
The movement of grain in the other five districts has been hampered system failures at the banks from where the money to pay transporters is supposed to be transferred. Transporters are willing to offer service upon payment. In Kariba rural district, transporters are reluctant to take up the routes due to bad roads.
However, Mrs Mutowo said logistics were being made to transport grain to the area.
The Zimbabwe National Army and the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) have since been approached to save the situation.
In addition, in a bid to improve food security and nutrition, through the Zunde raMambo concept, the Government availed grain to traditional chiefs for distribution in their areas of jurisdiction.
However, most chiefs have not collected the grain due to lack of transport, lack of fuel and limited storage.
Addressing the PDC meeting, Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Marian Chombo said the Government will avail food aid to every deserving person regardless of political affiliation.
Said Minister Chombo: “We are committed as a Government to ensure that all the vulnerable and deserving people receive the grain. This is a Government programme aimed at supporting its people and President Mnangagwa has vowed to make sure that nobody dies of hunger.”
Thousands of vulnerable people in Chinhoyi, Karoi and other towns are covered under the Urban Emergency Social Cash Transfer model.
In urban areas, the beneficiaries are receiving US$13 per person and an additional US$5 for a minor under five years of age in a household with a cap of four.
The scheme targets 17 000 people in the urban areas.
Online Reporter