Gokwe sends food aid SOS

Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
About 48 000 villagers in Gokwe North are in dire need of food aid as the effects of the El-Nino induced drought are beginning to be felt in some parts of the country.

The situation in the area has also been worsened by a yet to be identified pest that has destroyed the little cotton that the farmers were pinning their hopes on.

The Gokwe North Civil Protection Unit has asked Government and other non-governmental organisations to step in before the situation spirals out of control.

The unit’s chair Mr Isaac Mutambara, who is also Gokwe North District administrator, said farmers were not expecting to harvest anything since all their crops had wilted due to erratic rainfall patterns.

“We are calling upon Government and civic organisations to assist with food aid before the situation gets out of hand,” he said.

“We have about 13 000 under social welfare and on top of that we have another 35 000 that needs urgent assistance and so far we are yet to receive any help.”

The district was the most affected in the Midlands Province according to a latest vulnerability survey.

“We are the most affected district in the province with our vulnerability percentage standing at 56 percent which is the highest in the Midlands,” he said. “Crops did not do well and we do not have an option of irrigation due to the type of soil that is easily eroded making it difficult for us to have dams.”

Mr Mutambara said some farmers whose hopes have been pinned on the cotton crop, were also in danger of losing their surviving crop.

“We have some farmers who were now banking on cotton it was affected by the dry spell. To make matters worse, there is an unknown pest that has attacked the little cotton that had survived the scotching heat,” said Mr Mutambara.

He said the water situation has also worsened as some villagers have to walk about 7 kilometres to access clean water.

“Most villagers have resorted to selling their livestock and buyers are taking advantage of the situation to buy the cattle for a song,” he said.

Mr Mutambara said a bucket of maize meal was going for $20, which is beyond the reach of many in the area.