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Stakeholder Workshop on the food situation in Zimbabwe - October 2002
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2. NGO Involvement in the Food Crisis, Challenges and Way Forward
- by Mrs. P. Ndlovu of World Vision
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Mrs Ndlovu gave a brief and precise background to the current situation in Zimbabwe. She noted that Zimbabwe was currently facing a complex food emergency situation which started from the traditional chronic food insecurity zones (the drier agro-ecological zones of region 4 and 5) and has now spread into the rest of the country and even to the urban areas.
She observed that the present food situation is a by product of a numbers of factors:
- The unexpected drought situation which affected production levels,
- Production shortfalls and hence inadequate carryover stocks from the 2000/2001 agricultural season
- Reduced inputs at normal planting time
- Misjudgment of the situation by relevant authorities which delayed response time
- Lack of adequate support for newly resettled farmers i.e. lack of inputs, draught power, extension services etc.
- Political and public policy issues
- A stagnant economy and worsening macroeconomic conditions
Mrs Ndlovu informed her audience that there was a regional dimension to the current problem. Preliminary maize forecasts at the end of April indicated production shortfalls in a number of countries following a prolonged drought spell. Most affected in the region are Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. The region will have an anticipated shortfall of over 3 million MT which would have to be imported from outside the region. She gave facts and figures to demonstrate the precarious food insecurity situation in Zimbabwe and these are
given below.
(a) Current Food Availability at the National Level
- Zimbabwe consumes approximately 2 million MT of maize annually
- The low maize harvest and low opening stocks at the start of the marketing year on 1 April 2002, means Zimbabwe will have a total maize deficit of 1.77 million MT in 2003/04 marketing year.
- After considering import commitments of 374,000MT, a potential winter maize harvest of 7,000MT and the 57,500MT that had been imported in mid May 2002, Zimbabwe has a cereal import gap of 1.4 million MT.
- At sub-national level, a total of 52 out of 57 districts are ranked as food insecure and only 5 districts are considered “food secure”.
- Of these, 40 districts are classified as “severely food insecure” with a minimum food security threshold of less than three months or less than 40 kgs per capita maize equivalent income.
- Findings of the Zimbabwe National Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) indicate that from September through to November 4.5 million people (33%) of the national population will require emergency food assistance rising to 6.7 million people (49% of the population) during the most critical months from December through to March 2003.
- Over 90% of the households in Zimbabwe will rely on grain purchases this year implying that they will be susceptible to supply shortfalls should they occur. The figure has increased by 700,000 since the last major WFP/FAO Crop and Food Supply assessment that was conducted in May this year.
- The VAC’s assessment report confirms that the food crisis in Zimbabwe is more severe than previously estimated. It provides compelling evidence that urgent action beyond that of current levels is required from the Government of Zimbabwe and the international community to avert a humanitarian disaster before the main harvest in March/April 2003.
b) Current Food Access in Urban Areas
- There are clear shortages of food availability in the urban areas. Shortages are manifested by long queues for basic commodities such as maize meal, cooking oil and sugar as well as a thriving black market.
- These shortages coupled with high increases in prices have put the urban poor at a greater risk of food insecurity.
- WFP carried out Urban Vulnerability Assessments in Harare and Bulawayo. The findings of the report point to the fact that there will be need for targeting food aid in the urban areas.
- Also important to note here is that because of food shortages, even those who can afford to buy have no access.
c) The Situation in 2002/03 Agricultural Season
- 94% of farmers do not have seeds for the 2002/03 planting season.
- There is adequate grazing for livestock, for most parts of the country, except in the southern and central parts of Buhera district.
- The southern African Climate Outlook Conference which met in Harare in early September, indicate that there are prospects of receiving normal rainfall in 2002/03. The El Nino phenomenon which had been detected earlier on has since weakened.
2.1 NGOs Involvement
The involvement of NGOs in the distribution of food was critical to the success of the programme. Mrs Ndlovu informed the participants that, in total, there are approximately 30 NGOs distributing food throughout the country, some on a smaller scale while others on a bigger scale. She referred the participants to the List of NGOs that is with the UNDP and the section on WFP.
2.2 Challenges
Mrs. Ndlovu told the participants that to effectively tackle the humanitarian crisis faced by Zimbabwe and the region, a number of challenges would have to be overcome. She divided these into three categories:
2.2.1 National Level
- Foreign currency problems to import national requirements. Problems due to poor export performance
- Policy issues e.g. GMO, private sector involvement/GMB monopoly
- Procedures for the issuance of permits can be long and cumbersome.
- Procurement and clearance of equipment
- Government accepting GMO milled grain. The donors are only willing to supply unmilled grain. The challenge is who will pay for the milling costs.
- Inspections and governments procedures
- Political challenges
- Reports in the media on the politicization of food.
2.2.2 Organizational Challenges of NGOs
- Limited organizational capacity to plan and implement food aid programs
- Limited technical expertise, especially among local NGOs, the international NGOs can employ international experts.
- Limited experience in managing food aid programs
- Limited financial resources, international NGOs have access to some reserves from parent bodies;
- New players have been restricted by the long registration procedures.
2.2.3 Challenges of distribution
- Transportation and Logistics – Roads in some areas are difficult to access.
- Security – Escorts by police of food transport for security reasons provided by the Department of Civil Protection. However, use of ZRP tended to instill fear in the people in some areas.
- Communications – Radio problems etc.
- Selection criteria – selection becomes difficult in a situation where almost everyone is in need of food.
2.3 Way Forward/Recommendations
Mrs Ndlovu concluded her presentation by suggesting that there was need to ensure that mechanisms are put in place to facilitate the importation of additional 1,4 million MT of grain to meet aggregate requirements for 2002/03 marketing season. There should be policy shifts in terms of the monopoly of the GMB, perhaps, temporarily suspended to facilitate the private sector, NGOs and individuals to participate in food importation and local trading. This will help stabilize prices and increase availability. Consideration should be given for more flexibility in the allocation of, and the exchange rate regimes for food aid programs and related initiatives. She also highlighted the need to come up with a one- stop shop in terms of the procedures involved in applying for or acquiring permits including procurement requirements of equipment needed to be used for food aid. Government, she noted, has to take a leading role in ensuring secure, safe and fair distribution of food to vulnerable communities. NGOs should continue with food assessments in their project areas as well as play a crucial role in terms of monitoring the food security situation on the ground. Current food program should be expanded to cover more people including the urban poor.
2.4 Plenary Discussion
The audience sought to know whether there were any mechanisms to coordinate NGOs who are involved in the distribution of food aid. Mrs Ndlovu informed the participants that there was a coordinating unit within the UNDP that bring together all NGOs and other organizations that are involved in food aid distribution, including Government. This assist in the movement of information, back and forth.
It was observed that the presentation focused on food aid to meet the short-term shortage. Concern was raised on the silence on long-term solutions that guarantee long term needs e.g.
drilling of boreholes, availability of seeds to farmers etc. The response was assuring. The audience was told that there are agriculture recovery programs that are already in place to address the transition from relief to recovery. These include inputs distribution and borehole drilling and promotion of small grains, particularly in the Southern region.
The Masvingo experimental winter maize program was brought into the spotlight. The participants wanted to know the extent to which the harvest from this experiment would go in meeting the current food deficit. No one present could answer this question with facts and figures, but the general perception was that the harvest would be very small compared to the shortfall.
The participants inquired on the progress that had been made with the out sourcing of service to small NGOs by the larger NGOs. Mrs Ndlovu assured the participants that subcontracting had already started and it was also a requirement that the large NGOs should sub-contract to local NGOs.
The participants noted that World Vision had successfully penetrated the rural areas and wanted the presenter to share with them the methods and approaches they employed. Mrs. Ndlovu said that her organization was already working in the rural areas and for food relief, they use the structures that already exist. They also work through local structures and leadership, such as, the Rural District Councils, District Administrators, traditional leaders etc. It is a requirement by government that food aid should be channeled through these structures. Selection of beneficiaries is done through the village and ward structures e.g. traditional leadership and councilors.
Questions were raised on the role of NGOs’ involvement in food distribution, in the distribution of drugs to those who are HIV/AIDS infected. NGOs are trying to make relief programs innovative. When those who are HIV/AIDS infected get their rations, they also get drugs. This program is in its initial stages.
A number of other related issues were raised during the plenary session. The audience raised the issue of one shop window for all NGOs, the complicated permit issuance system, pulling together of resources by NGOs and coordinated importation of food aid, milling expenses and the GMO maize.
On GMO maize the meeting was informed that although the maize has of late been allowed to enter Zimbabwe, it has been resolved that the Biosafety Board would supervise the movement of maize to avoid spillage. NGOs have already come together to import food aid. There was need to simplify the permit issuance system to reflect the state of disaster that the nation is in.
A question was asked on the number of deaths from drought or hunger. World Vision
responded that they had not witnessed any. Even malnutrition levels are not yet considered
serious by international NGOs, although this is quite surprising.
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