WFP extends food security programmes

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BY BRENT SHAMU

THE food security and resilience building programme instigated by the World Food Programme (WFP), with efforts to curb hunger in vulnerable urban communities, has so far helped over 15 000 people suffering from hunger and starvation.

 
President Emmerson Mnangagwa last month extended the begging bowl to raise over US$ 3.3 Billion, to avert starvation in Zimbabwe after declaring the El Nino-induced drought a state of disaster.

The WFP food security and resilience building programme came at a time when the government called for assistance from development partners, civil society organisations, corporates, faith-based organisations and other stakeholders to curb the national disaster.

Chinhoyi based vendor poses for a photo after receiving her urban-cash assistance funds from WFP

According to the national census conducted in 2022, about 39% of Zimbabwe's population of approximately 16 million people resides in urban or peri-urban regions. Urban regions can be easily recognised by their concentrated population density, single unique identification, and propensity for rapid disease spread in the event of a pandemic or riot.

Urban food insecurity has become increasingly prevalent in Zimbabwe, largely due to the macroeconomic challenges characterised by high inflation levels and rising food costs. The increasing disaster was also fueled by climate change and health pandemics like the El Nino and COVID-19 respectively.

In an interview with  Razorwire News, Head of WFP Harare Field Office, Bianca Dzvairo said the organisation has also initiated various activities and/or programmes which include the Urban Cash-Based Transfer Program.

"We are implementing various activities. Amongst others, we have the. In Chinhoyi, we are supporting 15,000 individuals. Each month, they get $13 per person in the household.  And this is a multi-purpose disbursement that is done, which is used for various reasons at household levels.

"The government has also come in and complemented by providing additional support in the form of training on various aspects as needed by the beneficiaries that we are supporting. We are making use of Western Union, which is the remittance company, where these individuals are able to redeem their cash on a monthly basis from," Dzvairo said.

The urban cash-based transfer program started in 2019, at its peak, the social assistance programme reached over 326 000 individuals across 23 urban areas.Cash transfers are provided through remittance-based modalities with beneficiaries receiving a monthly cash entitlement of US$ 13 per person. Currently, the programme operates in 5 domains, reaching over 62,500 people. The 2024 Urban Livelihoods Assessment (ZimLAC), 38% of Zimbabwe’s urban population are expected to be food insecure.

WFP’s Urban Programme in Zimbabwe, cash transfers and resilience building seeks to meet the urgent food needs of those most vulnerable to food insecurity, including people who are unemployed and/or suffering from chronic illness or disability.

Meanwhile, the life changing projects initiated by WFP also helped Rutendo Muzanenhamo, a Chinhoyi based welder. Muzanenhamo was enrolled into a vocational training facility by WFP. Her works have seen enhancing job creation in her town, with former drug addicts like Kudakwashe Mutandwa gaining financially from Muzanenhamo's projects.

 
"I would like to thank WFP for empowering me as a woman. I am now a welder; I create door frames and other materials. I am now financially self-dependent, as l no longer rely on my husband for money and other household needs. Through the vocational training I enquired, I employed some people from my community who had certain challenges especially the youth," Muzanenhamo said.