adminLawrence Chitumba Mash Central Correspondent
Mashonaland Central Province requires an additional 908 tonnes of maize to mitigate the effects of grain shortages that might have been caused by the January mid-season drought.
While initial forecasts said the province might need 1 557 tonnes to cover the gap, the figure has since been reviewed after the dry spell to 2 465 tonnes.
Mashonaland Central provincial administrator Mr Cosmas Chiringa said all the eight districts in the province were in need of food aid.
He said Bindura District requires 240 tonnes, Guruve (285t), Mazowe (280t), Mbire (375t), Mt Darwin (405t), Muzarabani (320t), Rushinga (310t) and Shamva (245t).
Mbire legislator Cde Douglas Karoro recently made a plea to Mr Chiringa for the allocations to be revised upwards.
Cde Karoro said some farmers had lost their crops to marauding elephants and other wild animals.
“Provincial administrator, thank you for the grain that we are receiving. However, there is hunger here in Mbire constituency. The grain we are receiving is not enough for our people, may you please increase it.
“The human-animal conflict has led to the destruction of crops by animals. The January dry spell also affected most crops.
“Climate change has brought with it floods and droughts whose devastating effects have led to the loss of homes, livestock and food reserves,” he said.
“I am, therefore, appealing to NGOs in the Campfire project to assist the community to mitigate against climate change effects by funding projects such as beekeeping so that people can earn a living through them.”
Speaking at the same occasion, Environment Management Agency provincial manager Mr Robert Rwafa said the human-wildlife conflict was a problem which was being fuelled by villagers, who were illegally settling themselves on wildlife corridors, leaving wild animals without enough space for habitation and movement.
Online Reporter