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Farirai Machivenyika

Senior Reporter

THE Second Republic’s investment in ensuring national food security through a range of Government programmes and overcoming economic and climate-change challenges has been commended by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The programmes are based on ensuring farm households grow enough food for their own consumption with growing surpluses for sale to improve rural incomes. Those surpluses in turn ensure that national food stocks exceed Zimbabwean demand.

Speaking in Harare yesterday during the signing of a letter of understanding between the UN agency and Government, represented by Permanent Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Simon Masanga, WFP representative and country director, Ms Francesca Erdelmann said the understanding will anchor the WFP’s new strategic plan for Zimbabwe aimed at increasing self-sufficiency within communities they work in, and reduce dependency on humanitarian assistance.

Last year, Zimbabwe achieved a milestone in wheat production after attaining a record-breaking 375 000 tonnes and 1,5 million tonnes of maize. It also attained 2,7 million tonnes of maize from the 2020-2021 season.

Zimbabwe requires 360 000 tonnes of wheat annually and last year’s harvest was the highest since wheat farming began in 1966 and the first to achieve self-sufficiency. A new record is expected in wheat output this season, after farmers planted the crop on 86 000 hectares.

Output is expected to be around 425 000 tonnes.

Said Ms Erdelmann: “WFP applauds the progress made towards food security in Zimbabwe despite the set-backs and complex climatic and economic challenges in recent years.”

But despite the huge harvest, some areas did not get adequate rainfall and require food support, an issue that has been repeatedly confirmed by President Mnangagwa, who said the traditional leadership in every area that needs food support should compile the list of food insecure families so they get food.

Ms Erdelmann also acknowledged that some households would require food assistance.

“While the country celebrates the availability of adequate cereals stocks to meet the overall national requirements, we also acknowledge that many poor households struggle to meet their food needs. Sustainable Development Goal DG2 Zero Hunger, still needs our concerted effort if we are to achieve it by 2030.

“WFP’s new country strategic plan represents our contribution to the achievement of the NDS1 and our commitment to harness the energies of Zimbabweans to pursue their dreams and aspirations. Together, in the spirit of SDG17 ‘partnering for the SDGs’, we can realise an equitable and sustainable future for our food systems to ensure that every person in Zimbabwe has access to and consumes sufficient, diverse and nutritious food at all times,”

she added.

Mr Masanga commended the WFP for the assistance rendered to Zimbabwe over the years.

“This letter of understanding is a way to strengthen the already ongoing work and to ensure that both Government and WFP are accountable to the people they serve. We hope this mutual commitment will ensure that the objectives of the NDS1 are fulfilled.

“Both Government and WFP should come up with strategies on how communities can better benefit from lean seasons and support and resilience building programmes.

“In addition, community development programmes remain a priority as we thrive to build resilience against any type of shock. It is my hope that this agreement will be implemented fully for the benefit of all Zimbabweans,” he said.

Under the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa, there has been the twin thrust of ensuring ever more families grow enough for their own food with a surplus for sale, so that there is household and national food security.

The Government has prioritised dam construction in all rural provinces to push up food production using irrigation. Further, an innovative way of growing maize, Pfumvudza/Intwasa, has been adopted to increase yields even when there is low rainfall.

This, and other measures in the agriculture sector, has seen the value of the sector growing to over US$8 billion from about US$2 billion in 2017.

Under the National Development Strategy 1 that runs from 2021 to 2025, the agriculture sector was expected to become an US$8,2 billion industry by 2025, but that target was attained in about two years.