Government to import 700 000t of maize

GOVERNMENT is set to import 700 000 tonnes of maize to supplement national stocks following poor yields in the 2018/19 rainy season, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told Senators during the Senate’s Question and Answer session on Thursday that Government is in the process of engaging private contractors to bring the grain into the country.

 The planned importation of grain is part of Government’s assurance that no one would starve to death due to drought-induced food shortage. 

The country experienced a drought following poor rains in the El-Nino induced 2018/19 rainy season which saw most farmers having poor yields. 

The drought situation was exacerbated by Cyclone Idai, which hit parts of Manicaland and Masvingo provinces among other areas.

Minister Ziyambi said President Mnangagwa pledged that no one would die of hunger as a result of poor yields and Government departments have started taking action to guarantee food security.

“The President said no one will starve but this year we have experienced drought which means we have a low harvest. As of now, in our granaries, we have approximately 560 000 metric tonnes including the 500 000 strategic reserve; which means our supplies are low. The department of agriculture has already started asking for tenders so that we will be able to import about 700 000 metric tonnes of maize so that we cover the gap which we are anticipating after our harvest in order that we get to the next season,” said Minister Ziyambi.

He reaffirmed the Government’s position that the relief grain will be distributed in a non-partisan manner. 

“On the question of the composition of distributors, this question has risen several times and has been referred to the Minister of Labour, which means he is aware of the right Minister to address who spearheads the issues of social welfare. It is their burden to see to it how maize has been distributed and they are the ones who do the vulnerability assessment study,” said Minister Ziyambi.

He said able-bodied people who require food aid will be expected to work and get food in return.

In the past, individuals who are subcontracted to conduct food-for-work were assigned to conduct road rehabilitation programmes among other things.

Government last week revealed that it was conducting a data capturing process on individuals who would require food aid and once the process is completed it will then roll out the distribution process.

The Government said the relief programme will include all vulnerable people in both rural and urban areas, a departure from the past when aid was mainly concentrated in rural areas.

– @nqotshili