Government initiates food distribution programme i...

Government initiates food distribution programme in Nyanga

Oscar J Jeke

Government yesterday began distributing food through the Department of Social Development to Nyanga villages, with seven wards in Nyanga North having already benefited, under its Food Deficit Mitigation Programme that is targeted at relieving hardest hit areas.

This initiative follows President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s declaration of a State of Disaster for the 2023/2024 seaon in April due to a widespread dry spell caused by the EI Nino-induced drought.

Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka introduced the Rapid Village-based Food Assessment programme which concluded on April 15, revealing that 6 million people in rural areas will require assistance between May 2024 and March 2025.

The report also indicated that 1.7 million people in urban areas require assistance, bringing the total number of people requiring food aid to 7.7 million people, representing 51% of the population.

Taking to his X account, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services ministry Permanent Secretary, Nick Mangwana confirmed the ongoing rural food relief program. He highlighted that at least seven wards in Nyanga North have benefitted from the distribution under the programme.

“NOBODY WILL DIE OF HUNGER. NYANGA. The Department of Social Development began distributing maize to the hardest hit areas under the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme. Seven wards in Nyanga North have benefited so far,” he said.

The programme will extend to all 10 provinces across the country, with the private sector playing a pivotal role especially in urban areas, through importing a significant amount of grain to bridge the gap until the next harvest.

The upcoming harvest is predicted to be a bumper harvest aided by the La Nina conditions expected starting this winter.