adminNyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
More than 500 000 vulnerable Zimbabweans are expected to benefit from a five-year US$100 million United States Agency for International Development (USAID) food security programme.
Officially launching the programme in Harare Wednesday, Acting Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Dr Ignatius Chombo said although the programme would help to ensure food security, the thrust of the Government was to reduce the donor dependency syndrome.
“Our position as Government is that these projects should address issues of sustainability during their implementation as we seek to move away from enhancing the dependency syndrome that has been created by some projects in the past,” he said.
“I would like to thank USAID for funding these two projects and hasten to say that the bulk of the budget allocation should reach the intended beneficiaries and not enrich the officers responsible for the projects.”
The two food and nutrition security interventions which were launched included the Enhancing Nutrition, Stepping Up Resiliency and Enterprise (ENSURE) and Amalima (Nhimbe in chiShona).
The programmes would be implemented by the World Vision and Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA) in Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and South provinces.
Speaking at the same event the United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Bruce Wharton said the two projects are efforts to tie relations between his country and Zimbabwe. “My message to you today is that the United States wants Zimbabwe to prosper and re-engage with the international community,” he said.
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