GOVERNMENT is set to resume the drought relief programme in Matabeleland South next month which was suspended in April following a bumper harvest recorded in the country.

Presenting a report on food security in Matabeleland South on Sunday, the provincial social welfare officer, Mr Criswell Nyakudya said a re-targeting exercise was set to begin next week in order to identify vulnerable households to ensure that they benefit under the drought relief programme.

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) 2021 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report, 50 percent of households in Matabeleland South Province reported they had cereal supply of less than three months. 16 percent reported they had cereal supply for a year and above, 18 percent reported that they had supply for between four to six months while 11 percent had supply for between seven to nine months and four percent reported that they had cereal supply for between nine to 22 months.

Mr Nyakudya said they will put in place a drought response plan.

“The major drought relief component was suspended around April because we had a bumper harvest as a country.

We have been informed that come the first week of October we must start feeding people. From next week onwards we will be doing re-targeting where we will be moving across all wards and villages in order to identify food insecure households. By Wednesday we will be having a drought response plan which we will use,” he said.

“Even though the drought relief programme had been suspended, we were still feeding child headed families, the elderly and the disabled, though in small numbers.

“These were being dealt with case by case. According to the set standards people shouldn’t walk more than five kilometres to collection points and when the drought relief programme resumes, we will ensure this happens.”

Mr Nyakudya said villagers will identify the vulnerable through their community structures and the district drought relief committees will authenticate the list.

He said the national office was aware that Matabeleland South Province was one of the provinces with the most food insecure households as it was stated in the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) 2021 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report.

A member of Inter-Ministerial Cabinet Taskforce on Covid-19 responsible for Matabeleland South Province who is also Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu said intervention was needed in the province as soon as possible as many families were struggling.

He said part of the purpose of the meeting was to assess the state of food security in the province.

“We were analysing the grain intake province by province and Matabeleland South Province has only contributed 0,2 percent for maize and all traditional grains. This is an indication of the harvest which was realised by the province.

“The country recorded a bumper harvest but Matabeleland South Province has some peculiar circumstances which have to be understood and addressed. In my constituency Bulilima East there are a number of people who have indicated that they don’t have food,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ruth Maboyi who is also Zanu-PF Beitbridge West legislator said people in her area have been struggling to feed their families hence urgent intervention was required.

She said while other provinces were better off in terms of food security, Matabeleland South Province was facing a challenge. — @DubeMatutu