Govt launches district risk profiles

Melissa Makoto and Joyce Mukucha
Government has launched District Risk Profiles through the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC) in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) to gather information that will assist in understanding food security and livelihood challenges and provide information on these factors. The Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr Justin Mupamhanga, told delegates at the launch yesterday that the profiles are focusing on various aspects that affect human lives.

“These profiles focus on, among other thematic areas, infrastructure, water and sanitation, communication, livelihoods, poverty, climate, crops, livestock, markets hazards and shocks, development indicators and priorities, food and nutrition security conditions and recommendations for 60 rural districts in Zimbabwe,” he said.

He said the development of these profiles is a reflection of their commitment to the implementation of the Zim-Asset and the food and nutrition security policies commitment number six, which mandates Government to ensure a national integrated food and nutrition security information system that provides reliable information on Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) situation and informs decision- making.

“Over the years, extreme weather events such as prolonged dry spells, erratic rainfall and drought have recurrently distressed the diverse livelihoods of the rural population in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“Compounding factors that include climate change, chronic diseases, high poverty levels among others have contributed to increase the livelihood vulnerability hence the initiative to profile, which is a synthesis of information in a simple, systematic, usable and easy to understand manner of various livelihoods components.”