OVER a million people in the rural areas face hunger at the
peak of the coming lean season, a top World Food Programme (WFP) official has
said.
Speaking during the official handover of a weir dam and
nutrition garden in Shauke, Zvishavane yesterday, WFP country director Eddie
Rowe said up to 1,1 million people will need food security in the coming months
and that there is need to build resilience for future shocks.
“The recent ZimVac [Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment
Committee] report on rural livelihoods still estimates that up to 1,1 million
people will face food insecurity in the coming months. We know that now is the
time to devote all our efforts to enhancing the abilities of communities and
households to recover and build resilience for future shocks,” he said.
The lean season is between October and March.
Government is currently boasting of a bumper harvest
following the implementation of the initial season of command agriculture, a
project meant to end hunger in the country.
Meanwhile, thousands of villagers from the dry rural area
of Shauke are set to benefit from the 39 000 cubic-metre weir dam that is
currently under construction.
The project, that will also see the establishment of a
1,3ha nutrition garden, is being funded by the People’s Republic of China
through the Chinese Aid.
Speaking during the same event, Chinese Ambassador to
Zimbabwe Huang Ping said his country has donated another $5m to be used during
the lean period.
“In 2016, China provide $1m for lean season assistance and
productive asset creation, for which we are holding the handover now.
“And today, I have more good news to share with you. Just
several days ago, the Chinese government decided to donate $5m to Zimbabwe
through WFP in 2017 which will be spent in the 2017-2018 lean season on
assistance and support to refugees, benefitting approximately 107 000 people,”
he said. Newsday
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