Chronicle Editor
Blessing Karubwa, Chronicle Writer
CHIEFS from Matabeleland region have pleaded with the Government to prioritise provision of food assistance to child-headed families as they have immediate food needs following the prolonged El-Nino effects, which affected crops throughout the country.
El Nino is a natural weather phenomenon characterised by disrupted wind patterns that lead to elevated ocean surface temperatures in the Eastern and Central Pacific.
This climatic event can have far reaching impacts on global weather patterns, affecting everything from rainfall distribution to tropical cyclone activity.
Most provinces in Zimbabwe experienced crop failure last year, with hotter areas declaring grains such as maize a write-off, leaving many families in need of food aid.
Humanitarian agencies including the World Food Program have described the hunger situation as “dire”, calling on donors to provide more aid.
Last month, President Mnangagwa declared the El Nino-induced drought a state of disaster.
In an interview, Chief Fuyana of Maphisa said while some families depend on support from the diaspora, he had found some child-headed families in dire need of food assistance.
He said although the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) had just provided them with food, it was insufficient to meet the needs of everyone in urgent need of food aid.
“I have about 1 500 households in my jurisdiction and we have realised 500 of these are already in acute need of food aid. Most of them are child-headed families and also elderly households. Child-headed families are now in danger, it’s a pity, they need urgent support as I speak.
“I had the privilege of getting ten bags of grain from Arda that we have also given to families in urgent need of support. We got another three from out-growers to add to it but it is very small considering the number of people already in desperate need of food aid. We are appealing for more help from the Government and well-wishers,” he said.
Chief Maduna echoed the same sentiments saying while food assistance is necessary for all households, certain households are currently in immediate need of support.
“People cannot sell their livestock to buy food like they did during prior droughts because of the dying cattle.
“The child-headed families and the elderly are now in urgent need of food aid. Social welfare has been trying to rescue them here and there but still, it is not enough. There is a big gap that has to be filled because people might die of hunger. Cattle are also dying due to the shortage of water and grazing land; it is bad this time around.
“My survey has shown that I have around 7 000 families which are now in dire situations. These need urgent support. We appeal to the Government and well-wishers to come in and help us. In my jurisdiction, I have about 11 000 households,” said Chief Mafu.
Chief Dakamela of Nkayi weighed in saying while some individuals may not require immediate food assistance, the entire jurisdiction currently requires support from the state and well-wishers.
“The situation is dire. This time around even the leaders need support. Let’s start by saying the village heads, headmen and chiefs are already starving. An urgent bail-out is needed. In my jurisdiction, there are more than 1 000 households in need of food aid. We are all in urgent need of food aid,” said Chief Dakamela. —@TeamKarubwa
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