Minister: Zimbabwe won’t declare drought a disaster
– Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Minister Joseph Made says the government will not declare the drought that has ravaged mainly the southern parts of the country a national disaster and will instead import grain to avert hunger.
Zimbabwe announced this week it would import 700 000 tons of maize, which will cost the cash-strapped government in excess of $200 million (R2.4 billion) to avert a food crisis following a drought that affected crops in most parts of the country this season.
The country is holding 150 000 tons in reserve against a national requirement of 1.8 million metric tons.
Responding to a question in parliament on why the government has not declared a national disaster to allow donors to assist it with food aid, Made said the drought had mainly affected the southern part of the country and it was too early to declare an emergency.
“We are not at a stage yet to indicate whether this is a disaster or not,” he said.
He said government would issue permits to the private sector, non-governmental organisations and World Food Programme to import grain.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation has forecast Zimbabwe’s maize production for the 2014/15 season at 950 000 tons, over a third lower than the previous season due to a prolonged dry spell.
Last year, Zimbabwe’s maize output was at 1.456 million tons, 82% more than the 798 600 tons in the 2012/13 season. It also achieved its highest total cereal production in five years at 1.7 million metric tons.
But in a maize production report for Southern Africa 2015 released recently, FAO said nearly 300 000 hectares under maize in the country were a write-off because of the dry spell and the estimated 35% decline in maize output was the highest in the region.
South Africa and Namibia are forecast to record a 33% decline, Botswana 29%, Zambia 14%, Malawi 25%, Lesotho 30% and Swaziland 20%, while Mozambique and Madagascar have the lowest declines of five and four percent. – ANA
Harare
We are not at a stage yet to indicate whether this is a disaster or not Joseph Made Zimbabwe’s minister of agriculture