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The Food Agriculture Organisation and World Food Programme report a significant reduction in the number of Zimbabweans who will need food assistance in the period January to March next year. The actual figure is 565 000, a steep decline from a high of 2,2 million people. The decline in the number of people in need of food assistance corresponds to increased production in the 2013/14 cropping season from 758 000 tonnes to 1,4 million tonnes.
The rise in production reflects the impact of the Presidential Well-Wishers Input Scheme under which 1,6 million households in communal lands and A1 farms received seed packs, fertilisers and lime. It can also be attributed in no small measure to a relatively good rainy season. WFP Zimbabwe representative and country director Mr Sory Quane acknowledged as much when he pointed out that Zimbabwe “is prone to a series of droughts”.
The increased food production in the current season has not made Government sit on its laurels. On the contrary, there are clear indications that there is a lot of forward thinking going on. Just last week an organisation called Larsh Enterprises and Zanu-PF Youth League launched a US$2,4 billion programme to help farmers purchase inputs during the 2014/15 cropping season.
This will go towards crops inputs and livestock, the latter targeting to restock the country’s cattle herd which has been ravaged during years of successive droughts. Both programme underscore that Government is not just paying lip-service to the Food Security and Nutrition cluster of Zim-Asset.
Consequently, Government has urged farmers to surpass the two million tonne maize production target envisaged under Zim-Asset. Production figures of 1,4 million tonnes from the current cropping season indicate that the two million tonnes is a fairly modest figure given enough, timely support in the form of inputs.
It is, however, important also to take seriously the issue of droughts. We must be grateful that last year we had a good rainy season although much of the rain came a bit late. But it might not have come at all.
That means the country cannot continue to look to the skies to determine the level of productivity and therefore food security every season. There is need for deliberate interventions by both Government and the private sector to make this a national priority.
Many individuals are already stretched to the limit in terms of resources while banks have been over-cautious and prudent in helping make a success of the land reform.
WFP’s Mr Quane makes pertinent observations which must be taken seriously by all Zimbabweans of goodwill.
“Hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition are complex problems that cannot resolved by a single stakeholder of sector,” he pointed out in the report on the food situation in the country.
“There should be comprehensive policies, strategies and investment programmes based on evidence and experience, addressing the underlying causes of food insecurity.”
This points to the need irrigation in some areas, better skills in handling what has been produced to minimise wastage and targeted funding where there are deficiencies. But even more importantly, he notes that this cannot be left to a single stakeholder.
It is a national task. It should be embarrassing to every self-respecting Zimbabwean to be associated with starvation and malnutrition when we can do better.
Those still nostalgic about white commercial farmers and bitter about the land reform are simply refusing to acknowledge a living reality that a revolution has taken place and Zimbabwe is forging ahead. Let’s be proud to do things on our own.
Online Reporter