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Tafadzwa Ndlovu : Herald Correspondent

The Japanese embassy — through the World Food Programme — has availed nearly $3 million, a grant meant to alleviate the plight of Zimbabweans affected by the current El Nino-induced drought. The grant will benefit more than 12 000 people in Zvishavane District, one of the 20 areas facing serious household food insecurity, according to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) of 2016.WFP has since embarked on a project to promote long-term food security whereby communities create viable assets under the programme Productive Assets: Building Resilience, Food and Nutrition Security.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Zvishavane on Wednesday, Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Yoshinori Hiraishi said the humanitarian gesture from Japan will go a long way in alleviating immediate needs as well as contributing to improved nutritional status of communities.

“Our common objective is to free people from dependency on free donations of food but rather to give them the means to sustainably produce their own so as to mitigate against unforeseen shocks.”

“Japan has responded swiftly and positively to an appeal from the Government of Zimbabwe for international assistance in the face of the El Nino-induced drought. I understand that almost 2000 worker households are to benefit directly from this project including over 9 500 people here in Zvishavane.”

Severe drought conditions induced by El Nino in the past 2015/6 agricultural season have had a profoundly negative impact on food security in the country and the Southern African sub-region as a whole.