Food insecure households to receive government support

Food insecure households to receive government support

Pretty Manyewe

Government has put in place measures under the 2022-2023 Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy to ensure all households across the country have enough food supplies.

According to the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, approximately 38% of the population will be will be food insecure over the peak hunger period, that is, January to March 2023.

“The nation is being advised that for the 2022/2023 consumption year, the projections of the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) for Rural Livelihood Assessment Results (2022) indicated that approximately 38 per cent of the country’s rural population consisting of 3.8 million people will be food insecure over the peak hunger period, that is, January to March 2023,” she said.

However, Government is assuring the nation that all households predicted to be food insecure shall be catered for and considered as beneficiaries.

“All the 3.8 million people projected to be food insecure will be targeted as beneficiaries. Government will distribute food to all the needy households in provinces. The World Food Programme and other development partners are expected to channel their food assistance through Government structures, as per practice.”

The country already has 490 000 metric tonnes of grain in the Strategic Grain Reserve. Thus, the 120 000 metric tonnes of grain required to support the needy households will be sufficiently covered. The targeting of beneficiaries and distribution of grain will be undertaken through District Drought Relief Committees.