More than four million Zimbabweans will need food assistance between January and March 2017 as the country battles against a devastating El Nino that affected food production in the 2015/16 agricultural season, Food and Agriculture Organization has said.
Addressing journalists in Harare on Friday, FAO Programs Coordinating officer, Constance Pepukai said due to poor harvests caused by the El Nino induced drought, more people will need of food aid in the first quarter of 2017.
A 27% decrease in cereal and grain production last season, from 630 000 metric tons, has left millions of people in Zimbabwe facing serious hunger and malnutrition with those in the low lying areas being the worst affected.
“About 4, 1 million people in Zimbabwe will be in need of food aid between January to March 2017 as a result of erratic food shortages on the backdrop of the country’s worst drought in 35 years. A lot of these people are in rural areas but urban areas have not been spared.
“630 000 metric tons were realized from the previous farming season, which shows a 27% decrease from the 2013/14 season.
“But as FAO we have put in place a Drought Response plan which will see 486 000 drought affected people from 16 districts, benefitting from our food supplies during the same period,” said Pepukai.
She added that La Nino, a reverse of El Nino, will likely see more people in need food assistance but revealed that a Drought Response Program has been put in place to mitigate that challenge.
However, FAO says the Drought Relief Program (DRP) is underfunded with only USD$8 million having been raised against a target of US$35 million.
Pepukai added the DRP will be targeting small scale farmers for crop production as well as livestock mortality.
“The DRP will see US$13 million being channeled towards the safeguarding of Agri-based livelihoods and will assist 122 000 smallholder farmers in order to improve access to agriculture. US$15, 2 will go towards the protection and enhancement of livestock production to 264 000 farmers while US$6 million will be channeled to increase water access to assist 100 000 households through rehabilitation and construction of water sources.
David Phiri, FAO country director chipped in saying without adequate support, the humanitarian aid needed for smallholder farmers will stretch beyond 2017.
He however assured the nation that no one will starve as they are working with the government in trying to feed all the affected people.
“Through the ZIMASSET program’s Food and Nutrition Cluster coupled with the presidential input scheme, I’m sure we will go a long way in terms of food provision as we are anticipating to reap good rewards from those programs,” assured Phiri.
