CommuTalk Reporter
GWERU – The government’s Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy blitz has managed to distribute grain to 73 percent of its targeted beneficiaries throughout Midlands Province.
The 73 percent amounts to 14 961 metric tonnes of grain disbursed against a target of 20 384 metric tonnes with beneficiaries getting 7,5kg per person per month.
All in all, a total of 905 969 people are supposed to receive food relief throughout the province in the first three months of the blitz in the rural areas.
Speaking during a press discussion organized by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, Midlands Province social development officer Philis Tena said the FDMS blitz is aimed at assisting vulnerable households affected by drought and food insecurity.
Tena said as of end of July, Chirumanzu, Shurugwi and Zvishavane Districts had managed 100 percent coverage, therefore all targeted food insecure individuals had received grain.
“Kwekwe rural had managed 97 percent, while Gokwe North was at 75 percent, Gokwe South 51 percent, Gweru 67 percent and Mberengwa 60 percent thereby bringing the provincial average to 73,” she said.
Tena said the differences in percentages was due to availability of grain and its movement by rail and trucks.
She said there was non-availability of grain when the programme started but now grain is being distributed in all districts.
She added that the Zunde ramambo programme, which is meant to make sure that no one dies of hunger has collected 742,2 metric tonnes of grain out of an allocation of 1 075 metric tonnes for all chiefs in the province.
“There is also the Zunde raMambo programme under the blitz , which gives food to communities through their allocation per ward, where drought relief committees help them.
“This decentralisation of grain to chiefs was done so that those in dire need of food are assisted,” she said.
Registration of potential beneficiaries is ongoing and first preference would be given to people in high density suburbs, while a sizeable number of vulnerable people in low density areas will also benefit.
The government early this year declared the El Nino induced drought, which affected most of Southern Africa a national disaster.
