AT least 2 000 households in selected drought-prone wards of Mwenezi district, Masvingo province are set to receive food assistance under a non-governmental organisation-led initiative.
The Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC) and World Food Programme (WFP) have rolled out a Food Assistance for Assets Project (FFP) programme for the food-insecure villagers through funding from USaid.
Mwenezi is one of Zimbabwe’s drought-prone districts.
Speaking to NewsDay recently, MDTC programmes managing director Promise Makoni said the food assistance programme would support 2 000 food-insecure rural households and small-hold farmers.
The programme seeks to promote food security and resilience to repeated exposure to multiple shocks and stresses and this will be done through the creation of assets that improve livelihoods in Mwenezi district.
“The project is multifaceted and will cover food security and livelihoods.
“Over the years MDTC has created assets that improve livelihoods and food security, some of the assets that we have created include dams, weirs and nutrition gardens,” she said
Makoni added: “The project will address immediate food needs through food assistance while building productive assets that will improve long-term food security and resilience.
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“Those who will be working at the assets will be receiving 50kg cereals, 10kg pulses and 3,75kg vegetable oil per month for six months.”
Makoni said the project also included water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)components aimed at ensuring that community-managed WASH services are provided to the target population while reducing health risks and improving food security and livelihoods.
“This will be done through drilling of three boreholes and installation of four solar-powered pumping systems. The project will also provide clean and safe water to 524 schoolchildren at Matande Primary School in ward 2, through installation of a 2,5km delivery pipeline. We are going to establish 2 000 handwashing facilities at household level,” she said.
Mwenezi district development co-ordinator Isaac Mutambara said the programme would improve access to markets through the 12,5km access road rehabilitation, and market linkages for the 2 000 households.
“The project will also work towards reducing environmental degradation through gully reclamation, rangeland restoration through planting of fodder crops, contour ridges and water infiltration pits,” he said.
“We want to appreciate the great work being done here by the Mwenezi Development Training Centre and a local non-governmental organisation based in Mwenezi, which is complementing government efforts in stemming the hunger crisis and improving food security and nutrition.”
