admin
Pardon Muzavazi
The Second Republic continues to register significant milestones in its quest to ensure that the generality of the Zimbabwean populace is uprooted from poverty occasioned by years of flagrant sanctions perpetuated by the United States and its allies.
The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Programme (ZimVAC)`s 22nd annual rural livelihoods assessment, which was conducted in May, collected and analysed information to measure levels of poverty in the country’s rural communities focusing on key thematic areas that included education; nutrition, water and sanitation; and infrastructure development.
The report articulates challenges faced by communities and how the listening Government, under the guidance of President Mnangagwa, responded to the various challenges.
Under its resolve to “leave no-one and no place behind” in its developmental trajectory, the Second Republic initiated an array of cross-cutting measures intended to propel the country towards an upper middle income economy by 2030.
It should be noted that the late onset of the 2021/22 rainfall season, coupled with erratic rainfall distribution in the same season pre-disposed the country, especially rural households, to challenges of food availability, access and stability.
Having realised the potential challenges, the Second Republic under the astute stewardship of President Mnangagwa, came up with a number of mitigation measures aimed at ameliorating and uplifting the livelihoods of citizens throughout this depressed period.
The measures also encompassed massive Covid-19 vaccination campaigns designed to safeguard citizens from the pandemic.
The ZimVAC report acknowledges that Government availed the much-needed assistance through food aid and subsidies that were channelled to vulnerable groups.
Additionally, Government’s social welfare department harmonised cash-transfer proved to be handy as it provided financial aid to disadvantaged members of the community.
The Assisted Persons Medical Treatment Order also saw vulnerable groups receiving some form of support.
This support came in the form of crop inputs constituting 70,1 percent and 21,9 food. This noble Government support was complemented by the United Nations and other NGOs which provided assistance to 14 percent of the rural households.
ZimVAC noted that household food security improved with the proportion of families having borderline diets having decreased.
Households in the acceptable food category increased from 29 percent in 2021 to 35 percent in 2022. Government also instituted the Agriculture and Food Systems Strategy which saw the establishment of village and agribusiness hub gardens, which resulted in the improvement of the country`s dietary situation.
Government has also put in place sufficient measures to ensure the country`s flour self-sufficiency.
This year’s target was to plant 75 000 hectares of wheat and produce 383 000 tonnes, which would be sufficient to meet the country`s needs.
The area planted to date was 103 percent of the target whereas plantings were 32 percent above the previous year when 57 197 hectares had been planted in the comparative period.
Sufficient fertilisers and chemicals to support this season’s winter wheat have been secured, while 100 megawatts of electricity have been ring-fenced for farmers who are exempted from load-shedding.
The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) is also seized with distributing fuel, with more than 750 000 litres having so far been secured.
The Second Republic`s quest of ensuring quality education throughout all corners of the country saw an improvement in the number of school-going children, with 83,8 percent of children attending formal schooling compared to 77 percent record in 2021.
Moreover, Government assisted 560 000 learners through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), reiterating its standing policy that no learner should be turned away for non-payment of school fees.
The Presidential Rural Development Programme, among other water and sanitation health programmes, resulted in improved access to clean potable water, with ZimVAC indicating that 78 percent of communities had access to improved water sources.
The ZimVAC report also lays bare government`s trajectory of improving agricultural output through sustained irrigation programmes.
Government is implementing various programmes to rehabilitate irrigation facilities with 394 schemes having been established in sampled districts.
It was revealed that 51 percent of the irrigation schemes are fully functional, while 28 percent are partly functional.
Government is streamlining efforts to resuscitate the remaining 21 percent that are non-functional. Government has since put in place the National Accelerated Rehabilitation and Development Programme.
This programme is targeting to rehabilitate and develop at least 200 hectares of land in every district annually over a 10-year period.
To date, a total of 216 000 hectares is under irrigation with Government targeting to increase the hectarage for cropping under irrigation to 350 000ha.
The ZIMVAC report also noted that one of the major challenges facing the country`s youths was the issue of drug and substance abuse.
Fully cognisant of this debacle, the Second Republic, through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, established five centres that were set up for the rehabilitation of youths affected by substance abuse.
So far, 600 substance abusers having gone through the centres.
President Mnangagwa also set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Substance Abuse, which he tasked to identify and implement remedies aimed at addressing this scourge.
Provision of skills and entrepreneurial training for income generating projects is also being pursued through the various Vocational Training Centres established across the country.
An Integrated Skills Outreach Programme has also been put in place to augment Government efforts of addressing unemployment challenges.
The deliberate policies being pursued by the Second Republic are clear testimony of President Mnangagwa`s aspirations of propelling the country towards an audacious future as espoused in Vision 2030 of achieving an upper middle income economy.
This calls for all Zimbabweans to put shoulders to the wheel and play their part towards the economic emancipation of our beloved motherland.
Online Reporter