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Wynne Zanamwe, Midlands Reporter
THE Government has started distributing maize to vulnerable people in urban areas to fight food shortages as a result of drought, the Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Engineer Tapiwa Matangaidze has said.
He said his Ministry had already started distributing maize in metropolitan provinces of Bulawayo and Harare and other towns and cities will benefit from their provincial allocations.
“We have an excess of three months’ supply of maize. We have started distributing maize in metropolitan provinces to vulnerable people and the underprivileged. We have allocated 157 tonnes of maize to Bulawayo while we have also given Harare Province 167 tonnes of maize.
“What we have realised as Government is that the number of people who are in need of food aid has increased,” he said.
Eng Matangaidze said the Government has so far distributed about 190 000 metric tonnes of maize this year following the El Nino induced drought that affected the greater part of Southern Africa.
He said there were enough maize reserves to last the country until the next harvesting period.
“We have so far distributed 194 343.23 metric tonnes of maize this year following the drought. Government has secured enough food for the people,” he said.
This year farmers have delivered about 11 000 tonnes of maize to the Grain Marketing Board.Sadc is seeking $2, 4 billion to help an estimated 40 million vulnerable people in the region to fight hunger due to the El Nino induced drought which resulted in widespread crop failures and poor harvests in the region.
The drought has also affected livestock with about 643 000 drought related deaths reported in Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
@wynnezane
Online Reporter