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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
A TOTAL of 12 000 households in Bulawayo and Harare are struggling to put food on the table and are receiving Government food aid, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Speaking during Wednesday’s National Assembly question and answer session, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Dr Sekai Nzenza, said the figure could be higher following the completion of a Vulnerability Assessment Survey on urban households.
She made the revelations after legislators quizzed her on what Government was doing to provide food relief to vulnerable urbanites as they were also struggling for survival.
“The policy on food distribution stipulates that food must be provided to all vulnerable households when resources are available. Regarding urban poverty, this year we have experienced drought that was compounded by Cyclone Idai and on top of that we have had an increasing demand for food in urban areas.
“According to our assessment so far, we are feeding 12 000 households in Bulawayo and Harare. We are also getting support from the World Food Programme to have a pilot urban feeding programme in Epworth. However, we have not as yet extended to other cities outside Harare and Bulawayo.”
She said apart from the existing programmes to provide relief to urbanites, her Ministry has completed a survey to ascertain the number of food insecure households in towns.
“I want to also add that this week we have received a Vulnerability Assessment report on urban households and I will be able to give a more detailed response once we have gone through it,” she said.
In the past Government was only conducting a rural vulnerability assessment survey which has assisted in providing food aid to rural communities.
However, there has been growing concern that people living in towns are also severely affected by food shortages.
Zimbabwe is experiencing El-Nino induced drought whose impact was further compounded by Cyclone Idai which ravaged the eastern parts of the country.
The natural phenomenon has affected about 5,5 million people from the rural areas while 2,2 million urbanites are also affected.
To alleviate the severe impact of the drought, Government is rolling out grain distribution for the vulnerable while the able bodied are involved in food for work programmes.
The food for work programme entails able bodied people working to improve their communities in return for government grain. — @nqotshili
Online Reporter