The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
ZIMBABWE has recorded an increase in household cereal production from 346kg in 2013 to 530kg in 2014, a development which has resulted in an overall improvement in food security, Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
Speaking during the official opening of a commercial radio station, YA FM, in Zvishavane, Cde Mnangagwa said according to statistics released by the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMCAV), the number of people in need of food aid had dropped to 560 000 from 2,2 million recorded last year at the peak period of hunger.
He said Matabeleland North and South, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces were the ones that had been hard hit by hunger as well as inadequate grazing land.
“Given that there was an increase in household cereal production from 346kg in 2013 to 530kg in 2014, and an overall improvement in the food insecurity situation from 25 percent to 6 percent in 2014 according to ZIMVAC, I believe that media can play an important role in raising awareness on food insecurity and vulnerability in the population.
“On the same note I am informed that grazing and water for livestock were generally adequate in most parts of the country except in the communal areas where it was generally inadequate in keeping with the past records. There were however, marginal parts of Matabeleland North and South, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces which had inadequate grazing,” he said.
Cde Mnangagwa’s remarks come in the wake of Government engaging private players in the maize and milling industries to import 700 000 tonnes of maize to sustain the country until the next harvesting period.
The Grain Marketing Board has 157 000 tonnes of maize in stock after farmers delivered 35 000 tonnes to the granary as of September, a development which has been attributed to delays in payment of farmers.
The country has a maize deficit of about 500 000 tonnes of maize.
He reiterated that Government was working tirelessly towards formalising artisanal and small-scale miners, who constitute 60 percent of the country’s gold producers. He said this will help in the plugging of gold leakages due to site marketing and smuggling.
“Over the years Government has been working tirelessly towards formalising artisanal and small-scale miners who constitute 60 percent of the country’s gold producers. In a bid to integrate the sector into the mainstream economy, Government has gone as far as setting up a $100 million facility that will see small-scale miners accessing loans to acquire requisite equipment to improve viability mining standards, and ensure that their activities are conducted professionally while boosting production.”
