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hope.
The excitement, hope and relief cannot be felt any stronger than in the drier parts of the country – Natural Regions 3-5 – where hunger and food insecurity have traditionally stalked people.
Will the rains wet the parched ground, and give forth plenty?

Such is the question that is asked in areas such as Tshovani, Chilonga and Masivamele in Chiredzi.
As a result of poor rains, many households in this part of the country did not harvest much last season.
Food production was highly affected leading to poor health, low income and lack of development.
The area is in Region 5, which is naturally dry and most of the farmers are aware of the crops they are supposed to plant.

But despite this knowledge, the sorghum and maize wilted as mother nature refused to open up the heavens.
In an interview with The Herald, Chief Tshovani said the area was badly affected by poor rains.
“Most crops did not do well because of poor rains. As you know, this part of the country is dry and the situation becomes dire if rains do not fall.” He said villagers are finding it difficult to cope.

One of the chief’s subjects Thomas Gezani said he now sells his livestock to feed his family just like many others in the area.
“We are supposed to exchange one cow which, under normal circumstances, costs between US$400 and US$600 for 40 bags of maize but sometimes the buyers – who know that we are desperate – cheat us.
“Some bring between four and 10 bags of maize and one ends up giving in. You first think of the hungry wife and children at home before refusing any offer by the buyers,” he said.

Chief Freddy Machisava Marirele, also known as Chief Masivamele said people of his area had no food as they did not harvest much with those who planted maize the hardest hit.
“Those who planted sorghum had reasonable harvests; some had up to three tonnes of maize and sorghum.
“Those who did not harvest little now work for those with food. The work includes ploughing fields and molding bricks among others.

He said last season started off well, but the rains disappeared mid season.
Chief Masivamele confessed that they have no knowledge of climate change but have heard a few discussions on the subject on the radio.
When the Agricultural Research and Extension Services (Agritex) officers visit, they never discuss the issue.
He said he wants the Government to avail equipment so they can embark on irrigation schemes in the event insufficient rains.

“For now, the source of water is unprotected wells and it is not enough for irrigation. Those with boreholes at their homesteads can only irrigate small gardens where they grow vegetables,” he says adding that the water is not safe for drinking, but they have no choice.
Muzavani Papazela, Chief Masivamele’s son, said almost all the boreholes in the area broke down in the early 1990s and have not been repaired.
He said the food situation could have been better if the boreholes were working as communities would water vegetables in their gardens.

But for now, the situation is so bad that even safe drinking water is a problem. Women walk up to three kilometres looking for safe water.
Maria Muhlupi is one of the most affected by the food shortages.
She harvested little last season and weeds fields for a fee so that she puts food on the table for her grandchildren.
Most children, her grandchildren included, have stopped going to school as their parents cannot watch them go on hungry stomachs.

“The food I get is not enough for my family. I have to feed my husband and four grandchildren. The tomatoes I tried planting for resale after the rains disappeared also wilted as a result of water shortages. I have no food,” she said as she tried to drown her sorrows by gulping opaque beer.
“We are living in poverty. I go to the grinding mill to gather all the remnants of what is ground that day.

“We are not getting food aid from NGOs. Priority is given to HIV positive people. We are eating husky sorghum. We have never seen anyone from the Department of Social Welfare coming to help us,” she claims.
Of Muhlupi’s 10 children, three are in South Africa, the others scattered in the country and one is deceased.
“The children who went to Johannesburg have been gone for too long. I do not know if they are coming back, they do not send back any groceries. The challenge is feeding the grandchildren,” adds Muhlupi.

She does not know her age. She says she never got an opportunity to go to school. Her parents said she would become a prostitute if she got an education.
“I would only hear about hunger issues from other communities had I been given the opportunity to learn. I would have worked hard to improve the livelihoods of people in my community.”
But all this will remain a dream as she has to face the hunger currently affecting her and many others in this part of the country.

An Agritex official who preferred anonymity said they provide advice on how farmers should manage their crops.
She said they also advise farmers on annual husbandry in terms of breeding, feeding techniques disease prevention and marketing.
Agritex also advises farmers on the kind of crops to grow in relation to different climatic conditions and regions.
“We are teaching farmers to adjust in line with the changes taking place. For example we have been advising them to plant early. We also ask them to stagger planting dates so that one batch survives in the event of a mid season dry spell.

“Our extension officers also advise farmers on use of early maturing varieties of crops when seasons are short,” she added.
The Agritex officer also explained that they also provide information on conservation agriculture in form of planting stations, where farmers dig holes, add manure and cover with soil and plant.
“Planting stations allow farmers to trap moisture in the event of little rains it gathers in the hole and is utilised by the plant.
“The method guarantees very minimal soil distur
bance as it allows it to regain in cramp structure. At the same time it also allows plants to fully utilise all the fertilisers,” she said.

She revealed that their extension workers have been providing this information to farmers in Chiredzi and they have taken it up though the results have not been very positive.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union Masvingo Provincial Chairman, Mr Paul Mauta advised farmers to work closely with extension officers in order to get knowledge on which crops to grow in their respective districts.
“Farmers should take advantage of the service provided by extension officers as they know the right kind of crops to grow in the different districts of the country.
“Our province lies in the dry regions of the country and therefore not all crops prosper if grown in our regions, which are regions four and five. The changing climatic conditions have become a hindrance to boosting production and as farmers knowledge of adapting to should be passed down,” said Mr Mauta.

Villagers in other areas in the country that traditionally face food shortages have been advised to start land preparation.
Agritex officers in Manicaland Province, which also houses dry areas like Buhera have urged communities to speed up and intensify land preparation so that they plant as soon as rains come.
Manicaland provincial Agritex officer Mr Godfrey Mamhare recently said the issue of inputs had been addressed as the province was allocated 3 000 metric tonnes of seed maize, 25 000 tonnes each of basal fertiliser, 25 000 tonnes of top dressing fertiliser and 60 tonnes of soghurm under the US$45 million Government input facility.

The inputs will be accessed through the use of vouchers that will be distributed through the Department of Agriculture and Extension Services at district levels. The inputs facility will cater for A2 (10ha), A1, old resettlement, small scale and communal farmers who will get inputs for up to one hectare.
“A2 farmers will get 250kg of seed maize, six tonnes of lime, three tonnes of top dressing fertiliser and basal fertiliser, respectively. Other categories of farmers will get inputs for one hectare,” said Mr Mamhare.

About 12 tonnes of small grains will be disbursed in Buhera, Mutare and Nyanga districts.
World Food Programme Country Director Mr Felix Bamezon said in Zimbabwe his organisation and its co-operating partners are providing three main categories of food assistance, namely seasonal targeted assistance, health and nutrition and social safety nets under a protracted relief and recovery operation that began in January 2011.

He revealed that since 2002, WFP has assisted millions of food-insecure people across Zimbabwe adding that they hope to reach out to more than a million food insecure people this year.
“A gradual move towards a system of more targeted assistance is already being tested in readiness for expansion.
“Where necessary, WFP is deploying an increasingly sophisticated array of innovative tools to address the needs of people who are struggling to access the nutrition they need for their families on a daily basis using electronic-voucher transfers; cash-for-cereals and established cash/food-for-assets initiatives,” he explained.

Mr Bamezon added that the agency has also developed a strategy for procurement from local suppliers in areas with surplus to feed people in food deficit ones. It has also redesigned its HIV/Aids related Safety Nets to strengthen livelihood support and encourage gradual exit strategies.
The recently published Zimbabwe 2010 Millennium Development Goals Status Report confirms the fears of many in situations like those in Chiredzi.

The report says the proportion of people living below the Food Poverty Line doubled from 29 percent in 1995 to 58 percent in 2003 and the numbers have increased since. This will make it difficult to achieve MDG 1 which aims to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.

The report blames the drought that prevailed in the Southern African Region during the previous agricultural period for the situation.
It says failing investments in agriculture, particularly in infrastructure and extension services, directly added to the decline in food production and the rise in poverty levels especially in rural areas.

Participants in the compilation of the report which is valid for the next five years urge government to strengthen social protection system and support the land reform policy if the country is to achieve MDG 1. To achieve MDG 2 aims at achieving universal primary education by 2010 ensuring children like those in Chiredzi attend school, the stakeholders recommend the provision of school lunches to mitigate problems caused by chronic malnutrition.

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