Provincial Isiphala seNkosi programme launched

THE Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, on Tuesday launched the Midlands Provincial Zunde raMambo/ Isiphala seNkosi Programme in Lower Gweru as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of the El Nino-induced drought.

Under the programme, each chief will receive five tonnes of grain per ward to ensure there is grain available close to the people as much as possible to cater for members of the community in dire need. The launch was hosted at Chief Bunina’s homestead and comes after the Government has declared the drought situation a state of disaster.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Ncube said the Government was ready to support communities to fight the drought situation, especially in rural areas where agriculture is the backbone of livelihoods.

“President Mnangagwa’s declaration of the current drought as a state of national disaster prompted the Government to take urgent and decisive mitigatory action,” he said.

“As we all may be aware, Isiphala seNkosi is a traditional communal grain-sharing norm that has been practiced in our culture for generations.”

Minister Ncube said given that a majority of people live in rural areas, the grain support scheme was proportionate to the size of the population to ensure no one dies of hunger as promised by President Mnangagwa.

“It’s in this spirit that the President approved the food distribution mitigation strategy underpinned by the rural grain distribution mitigation, cash for cereal urban response and Zunde raMambo/ Isiphala seNkosi programmes,” he said.

“The programme is entirely under the jurisdiction, management and control of our traditional leadership and they report as prescribed under guidelines provided by the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare. Any undue influence by councillors, MPs and other officials will not be tolerated.

“District Development Co-ordinators, together with their district drought relief committees should ensure the distribution is efficient, fair, transparent and beneficial to the most vulnerable households among them the elderly, persons with disabilities, orphaned and child-headed households and the chronically ill,” said the minister.

He called upon the chiefs to find secure storage facilities within the communities for the grain adding that where no storage facilities are available grain is to be kept at the nearest GMB Depot.

“Grain is transported to these facilities with the assistance of local authorities, Government and other community leaders. A register has to be maintained indicating all the details of those who have received grain, the quantities they received, area of residence, reasons for giving them and the beneficiary should sign,” said Minister Ncube.

“Returns are to be submitted to the District Drought Relief Committee and replenishment will be based on submission of returns.”

Minister Ncube said President Mnangagwa continues to spearhead sustainable signature programmes and projects to empower communities in the face of climate change induced droughts. These include adoption of a wheat-based food security matrix, which taps into our comparative advantage in growing wheat during the winter season establishment of irrigation schemes to improve food self-sufficiency across the province.

The drive extends to deployment of science, technology and extensive mechanisation, as well as improved seed varieties to bolster agriculture production and productivity and the Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme and establishment of Business units Presidential Inputs, among others.

“I urge all stakeholders, community leaders, civic society organisations, and the private sector to complement the vision by supporting the Zunde raMambo/ Isiphala SeNkosi programme and the broader food distribution mitigation strategy.

“Together we can make a real difference in the lives of our communities,” said Minister Ncube