Food relief measures to be extended to urban areas

THE food deficit mitigation programmes is being extended to urban areas in line with the Second Republic’s thrust to leave no place and no one behind, legislators have heard.

This comes as Treasury has indicated that it has mobilised enough resources to buy grain to cater for the anticipated deficit.

Responding to questions in Parliament yesterday, Skills Audit and Development Minister Professor Paul Mavima said the assessment of needs requirements had been completed.

Prof Mavima, who was acting as Leader of the House in the National Assembly, said this on Wednesday during a question and answer session while responding to questions from backbenchers.

Legislators had asked what measures Government is taking to assist people in urban areas with drought relief, given that urban areas were equally affected.

“We have started in the rural areas because the process of assessing the situation in those areas has been completed. We have heard that the process in urban areas has also been completed but we are yet to get the report. The idea is not to leave anyone or place behind. Every Zimbabwean who deserves food aid will get it,” said Prof Mavima.

He dismissed claims that the Grain Marketing Board’s Strategic Grain Reserve was depleted.

This was after one legislator had said Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture had toured some GMB silos and noted that there was no adequate grain in their silos.

Prof Mavima said it was not logical to make a conclusion on the national status of the grain situation basing on a few silos visited.

“Private players are holding grain for their own purposes. Government has allowed private millers to import grain in anticipation of the drought and they will continue to import for their own purposes,” he said.

“We are currently distributing grain from the Grain Strategic Reserves. There is definitely grain in our Strategic Reserves.”

Prof Mavima said Government was doing everything it can to boost irrigation development, adding there will be a conference soon to discuss ways to improve that area. In the Senate yesterday, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa said Treasury had taken measures to mobilise resources for drought.

“The El Nino phenomenon is something Treasury has been expecting after the forecast from the Meteorological Department. We have constituted a Grain Mobilisation Committee to do some reconciliation, to determine

how much grain is needed so Government is ready to tackle the drought challenge,” said Deputy Minister Mnangagwa.

He said Government is working on a cocktail of measures to contain inflation.

Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said one of the measures was currency reforms and the exchange control management system that will be announced soon by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe when it delivers its Monetary Policy Statement.

“Inflation is tied to the exchange rate and other factors. Government is working on an array of reforms. Necessary announcements will be made soon.”