Vusumuzi Dube
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
OVER 70 percent of the grain that is expected to be distributed under the food deficit mitigation strategy has been distributed to various districts while cash disbursements are expected to commence next month under the urban cash for cereal programme.
This was revealed by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere in a post-cabinet media briefing held at the Ministry’s Munhumutapa offices in Harare on Tuesday.
“Grain distribution is progressing well in most districts with grain stocks being replenished at local Grain Marketing Board depots which had experienced diminished stocks,” said Dr Muswere.
He said during the period 16 to 24 July, 2024 a total of 14 364.43 metric tonnes of grain was distributed bringing the cumulative total for the months May to June 2024 to 101 170.04 metric tonnes, out of the expected 138 170.79 metric tonnes.
This translates to 73.2 percent of the grain distributed.
He said under the Urban Cash for Cereal Programme, training for both officials and community childcare workers has commenced with cash distribution expected to commence in August.
“Registration of beneficiaries is expected to be complete by the end of July 2024, paving the way for the commencement of cash disbursements in August 2024,” said Dr Muswere.
He said Government has approved its Final Implementation Plan as well as the plans for the Replica Partners, World Food Programme (WFP) and the Start Network in line with the requirements of the Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding signed between the three parties.
Meanwhile, Government has approved Zimbabwe’s National Climate Change Adaptation Plan: 2024-2030.
Dr Muswere said the extreme weather patterns such as droughts, floods, prolonged mid-season dry spells, heat waves, violent storms and tropical cyclone activities occasioned by climate change pose serious risk to food security and negatively impact socio-economic development, with Zimbabwe bearing the brunt of climate variability and change, hence the need for a coordinated approach to address related vulnerabilities and risks caused by these extreme weather events.
“The National Climate Change Adaptation Plan seeks to address these unprecedented impacts of climate change. It provides guidance on the steps to be followed in mainstreaming climate change in development planning for the period 2024-2030, in order to build a climate-resilient and low carbon economy.
“The National Climate Adaptation Plan will enhance the country’s capacity and effectiveness to plan, integrate, implement, monitor and evaluate adaptation plans and programmes for climate change and will be the anchor document for the development of sectoral plans,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the sector plans will highlight how climate change will be mainstreamed into all sectors and pillars of the economy towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient trajectory.
The Plan is informed by other Government policy frameworks, namely: Vision 2030; National Development Strategy 1(NDS 1) 2021-2025; the National Climate Policy, 2017; the Zimbabwe National Climate Change Response Strategy, 2014; the Zimbabwe Climate Gender Action Plan, 2021; the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee reports; and the National Communication Reports to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The Plan also includes incentives such as duty waivers on the localisation of electric vehicles manufacturing. The incentives and duty waiver would also apply to local production and/or importation of equipment and gadgets used in mitigating the effects of climate change.
@nyeve14
Online Reporter