World Food Programme, (WFP) assisted 200,000 food insecure Zimbabweans in seven districts of Matebeleland.
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Dina Esposito, who is leading USAID’s worldwide response to El Niño visited the country last week as part of a three-country tour to evaluate the impact of the El Niño-induced drought on food security in Southern Africa.
During her tour, Esposito visited USAID activities in the rural areas and met with USAID partners, beneficiaries, other donors, and government officials. She said she was very happy that partners are working together in response to the drought.
“I am proud of the work that USAID and its partners is undertaking in response to the drought.
“USAID is working with the people of Zimbabwe to meet the immediate needs of the food insecure while at the same time building resilience so that they will be able to cope with future droughts,” said Ms Esposito.
She also observed a dip tank and a dam constructed with USAID’s assistance. Now 2,000 cattle belonging to 600 households are protected against tick-borne disease thanks to the rehabilitated dip tank. 1,200 cattle and 400 goats will have access to a critical water source at the dam.
Through WFP, USAID also provided food and cash to those who constructed these communal assets in exchange for their labour, meeting their immediate food needs while also protecting livelihoods in the long-term.
In Thsolotsho, USAID assisted communities through the constructing and rehabilitating of productive assets, including a dam and irrigated garden, as well as a rehabilitated gully where now over 200 cattle belonging to 100 households have improved pasture for grazing.
