Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba – [email protected]
A TOTAL of 119 Wards in the Midlands province has received their full three-month grain allocation as the Government expedites the distribution of food aid so that no one dies of hunger, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube said.
Zimbabwe, like other SADC countries, has declared the El-El-Nino-induced drought a disaster and the Government has since started distribution of food to vulnerable communities.
While grain will be mainly distributed to the rural populace, urban dwellers will receive aid in cash.
In a recent interview, Minister Ncube said distribution of grain and cash was ongoing as per the instruction from the Government.
“To date, out of 221 Wards, a total of 119 Wards has received their full three-month grain allocation, supporting more than 412 000 beneficiaries. The Province has distributed more than 10 000 tonnes of grain, representing 49 percent of the targeted 20 384 metric tonnes,” he said.
Minister Ncube said under the Zunde RaMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi programme, chiefs collected 620 tonnes of grain, leaving a balance of 406 tonnes.
“We have encountered challenges that have affected the smooth running of the programme which include shortage of grain at GMB depots, particularly in Mberengwa and Gweru, delayed release of funds for transportation and failure to adhere to Zunde raMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi guidelines,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the declaration of the current drought as a state of national disaster by President Mnangagwa, prompted the Government to take urgent and decisive mitigatory measures to make sure that no one starves to death.
As a province, we commend the Second Republic for putting in place robust measures to ensure the availability of grain at all depots and the delivery of grain to communities at no cost to beneficiaries,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the New Dispensation continues to spearhead sustainable signature programmes and projects to empower communities in the face of climate change-induced droughts.
“These include adopting a wheat-based food security matrix, which taps into our comparative advantage in growing wheat during the winter season. I am glad to advise that the Midlands Province surpassed its 2024 winter wheat target of 12 000 ha by 103 percent following the planting of 12 459 ha of wheat schemes to improve food self-sufficiency,” he said.
Online Reporter