Govt increases rural food aid

THE Government this year upped its social support to rural populations that are in need of food aid as a result of climate change-induced droughts, it has been revealed.

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) report released recently, the Government increased its support by seven percent from 54 percent in 2021 to 61 percent this year while Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) support decreased by 12 percent from 26 percent last year to 14 percent.

“Almost three quarters of the rural households received social support. Government and development partners are commended for maintaining consistency in their support to the vulnerable population.

“Government is applauded for being the major source of support in rural areas with a 61 percent households record. UN/NGOs provided support to 14 percent of the rural households.

Government support increased from 54 percent reported in 2021 to 61 percent in 2022. Support from UN/NGOs decreased by 12 percent from 26 percent in 2021 to 14 percent in 2022,” read the ZimVAC report.

It noted that other charitable groups contributed a single percent compared to the nine percent it contributed last year while the church support decreased by four percent from six percent last year to two percent this year.

The diaspora contributed nine percent while rural relatives contributed 14 percent and the urban relatives contributed 16 percent.

“The major form of support received by households from Government was crop inputs at 70,1 percent and food 21,9 percent. Mashonaland West had the highest proportion of households that received crop inputs support at 85,9 percent while Matabeleland North had the least at 45,6 percent.

“Conversely, food support from the Government was high in Matabeleland North at 44,8 percent and low Mashonaland West 10,1 percent.

The major form of support provided by the UN/NGOs was food which accounted for 64,7 percent followed by crop inputs at 16,2 percent.

The report further noted that about 30 percent of households are projected to be food insecure during the third quarter of the year which is the period extending from October to December 2022 where at peak, about 38 percent of the rural households are projected to be cereal insecure which is an increase from 27 percent reported last year.