Chiefs appeal for food relief

Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
TRADITIONAL leaders in the Matabeleland South Province have appealed to Government to facilitate the provision of food relief for both people and livestock as food security was under threat in the province due to the looming drought this year. In separate telephone interviews, traditional leaders raised fears of a possible drought this year following the poor rainfall received in the province hence the need for Government food aid to save lives.
The traditional leaders said it was also their responsibility to ensure that people have food hence the fears of a drought had become a major concern in their areas with calls for mitigation measures to be put in place earlier.

Chief Gwebu of Mzinyathini in Umzingwane district said all was not well in the fields as most of the crop had been destroyed following exposure to the prolonged dry spell.

“This year we are in a very difficult situation, people have already started raising concerns of food problems because they have no hope of harvesting anything this year. We have since taken the grievances to the concerned authorities in the district.

“Our wish is for Government to ensure food would be provided to the people because drought is unavoidable this year because there is nothing in the fields. People would need maize more than anything else so that they can at least have something in their stomachs daily,” said Chief Gwebu.

“The grazing areas are also deteriorating, if it doesn’t rain in the next two months, they would be exhausted and that would be a challenge for livestock as well. We hope Government will make efforts to save people’s lives as well as those of our animals,” he said.

Chief Malaba of Malaba area in Matobo echoed the same sentiments saying the people looked up to Government to intervene against the looming drought.

“Emasimini akulunganga, sibona indlala enkulu lonyaka, kuzaba lobunzima obukhulu kwelakithi. Out of 100 families, maybe only five will harvest something, which is really bad. People’s hope is now on Government so that they do not starve.

“However, people should be very careful about livestock, so that we don’t encounter any losses again this year. We encourage people to sell some of their livestock to buy stock feed to save others,” said Chief Malaba.

Chief Nhlamba of Garanyemba in Gwanda district said while there was nothing to harvest, the situation in his area had been worsened by shortage of water.

“There is no more water in our rivers and dams because most of them have been silted and need scooping to improve on the water holding capacity.
“As the heat wave continues, the few crops that had remained will wilt also and people will have food challenges. We hope Government is looking at how people and animals can be saved,” he said.

The chiefs said the looming drought was likely to force more children out of school as the parents would be forced to divert the little resources to sourcing food.

According to a recent crop and livestock assessment, the province has over 350 000 cattle at risk of succumbing to the effects of drought this year whereas a paltry five percent of crops in the province was in good condition while most of the maize crop was either a write off or wilted.

Government working with some non-governmental organisations had in the past during drought, provided both humans and livestock with food relief through the drought mitigation programme.

In the 2012/13 season, there was severe drought in the province and more than 9 000 cattle perished as drought mitigation interventions came late.