adminFrom George Maponga in Masvingo
Chiefs across Masvingo have appealed to Government and humanitarian organisations to urgently provide food relief to avert starvation across the drought-prone province where over 400 000 people are facing food shortages. The chiefs have called on the Government to expand the food for work programme and extend it to cover remote parts of the province as hunger stalks rural communities throughout Masvingo’s seven administrative districts.
They said most villagers had since exhausted stocks from their meagre harvests. Chief Mugabe, Mr Matubede Mudavanhu yesterday said villagers in his area were in need of food assistance as most of them were struggling to have a meal every day.
“We appeal to Government and other donor organisations to move in and provide food relief because the food situation is now precarious especially after last year’s failed harvests. A disaster is looming unless there is increased delivery of affordable food,’’ said Chief Mugabe.
Chief Murinye, Mr Epheus Munodawafa also echoed the same sentiments and urged Government to expand the Food for Work programme so that more villagers could benefit. He also said it was important to increase the frequency of food deliveries as the shortage of maize was affecting the smooth roll out of the programme in most remote communities.
Chief Chitanga, Mr Felani Chauke called for the prioritisation of food deliveries to remote districts like Mwenezi and Chiredzi where he said thousands were on the brink of starvation. He said most young boys and girls were risking their lives by illegally crossing the border into South Africa to look for menial jobs and buy food to feed their families back home.
“The food situation in Mwenezi and Chiredzi is precarious and Government should do something as a matter of urgency because. Most villagers in Mwenezi and Chiredzi are now left with the elderly and such a scenario creates a cycle of hunger. Even if it rains in the next few months there will be no one to work on the land,’’ he said.
Chief Chitanga said areas such as Maranda, Sarahuru in Mwenezi and Gezani and Sengwe in southern Chiredzi face food shortages adding that the poor state of the road network and the remoteness made it difficult to move food to those areas.
Minister of State responsible for Masvingo provincial affairs Cde Kudakwashe Bhasikiti confirmed the crippling food shortages across rural communities in Masvingo and urged Government to do more to make food accessible to the people.
“The situation is dire. Most parts of Masvingo do not have enough food and starvation is looming. We appeal to Government and donor organisations to quickly move and save the situation,’’ he said.
Cde Bhasikiti however, said Government was importing maize from Zambia to augment local stocks adding that Masvingo province was also receiving maize deliveries from areas that managed to get surplus last year.
Masvingo is one of the driest provinces in Zimbabwe and with a population of over 1,2 million, it always struggles to feed its population owing to recurrent droughts.
Online Reporter