The Unite Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Elvar Hilal has revealed in her report that the number of food insecure households is expected to double in early 2020 amid indications that the majority of peasant farmers who produce 70 percent of cereals are vulnerable
Addressing a news conference in Harare yesterday, Hilal said that both the rural and urban folks are being affected by current hunger facing the country.
“In addition to severe drought conditions that severely affected the 2018/2019 agricultural season, Zimbabwe was struck by Tropical Cyclone Idai which caused a flood induced disaster and a trail of devastation in the greater part of the Eastern Highlands and some areas in the southern part of the country, destroying most of the expected harvest,” said Hilal.
According to the most recent 2019 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis 2,25% of the rural population is estimated to be in Crisis or Emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and 4) and face moderate to large food consumption gaps.
Elvar added that agricultural labour opportunities have been limited due to the poor productivity, hence affecting the most vulnerable segments of Zimbabwe’s population.
According to recent data released by the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC), a staggering 5.5 million people, 38% of the rural population, is currently facing food insecurity.
