Zimbabwe

What is FFA?

Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) are householdand community-based activities meant to create productive assets that have multiple benefits to the most food-insecure people living in degraded, fragile environments, with a low asset base and highly exposed to natural shocks and stressors.

The Zimbabwe Peace Project has noted that as the country approaches the 2018 elections it has found its reports extensively quoted by the media. The ZPP recognises the role of the media to inform the public and its grateful that they find the work of ZPP worthy of use in their publications.

See the full statement (Attached)

In Numbers

• 32.79 mt of food assistance distributed

• US$138,567 cash based transfers assistance

• US$ 24.7 m six months (July - December 2018) net funding requirements, representing 53% of total

• 13,923 people assisted in May 2018

Operational Context

Introduction

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

- GEWEL, a girl’s education and women’s empowerment project, offers direct support to 89,000 vulnerable girls and women in rural Zambia

- The project is supported through three government ministries, allowing a comprehensive approach to empowering women and girls

- Nearly 20,000 women and girls were helped through the project in 2017, with a goal to reach more than 50,000 in 2018

11 June 2018, Harare - Today Ministries of Health and Education with the support of four United Nations Agencies (UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO) launched the Zimbabwe School Health Policy to advance positive health determinants while preventing and mitigating health risks among all 4 million learners and their 37,000 teachers.

Health system strengthening

Strengthening planning for human resources for health

Ominous Internal political party processes

Introduction and Statistical Analysis

Maize grain and maize flour are the main foods consumed by all households in Zimbabwe. These food items are both produced locally and imported from neighboring countries particularly in the south western provinces of the country. The markets monitored are the main markets that offer both wholesale and retail supply in the respective regions of the country.

Maize is the single most important cereal crop in Southern Africa, accounting for almost 70% of total cereal production in the region. Most households in Southern Africa depend on maize (grain and meal/flour) for their main source of food and energy, with tubers (cassava), rice, wheat, sorghum, and millet serving as the main substitutes. Madagascar is the exception, where rice (imported and local) is the main staple food consumed across the country, with cassava and maize serving as key substitutes.

By Bishow Parajuli and Dr. Mohamed Ag Ayoya *

Malnutrition continues to be a challenge for many countries around the world. Globally, one in three people is malnourished in one form or another and about 815 million people, or one in ten, are suffering from chronic undernourishment.

The various consequences of malnutrition are literally devastating. An estimated 45 percent of deaths among children under age 5 are attributable to malnutrition. Malnutrition and inadequate diet are now the largest risk factors responsible for the global burden of diseases—by far.

SITUATION

• Economic challenges and poor rainfall undermine food security in Zimbabwe. Nationally, 92 percent of households in Zimbabwe practice agriculture as their primary livelihood, according to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC). After multiple years of drought-reduced harvests, increased planting and good rains increased agricultural production in the first half of 2017, reducing the stress on many households and providing some households with sufficient food stocks to sustain themselves during the current poor agricultural season.

Own-produced food stocks for most poor households are expected to last 1-3 months

Harvesting, drying, shelling and threshing activities for the early planted crop have intensified across various parts of the country. The late-planted crop is expected to be harvested in June/July in most areas. The harvests are steadily improving food availability, access and consumption for poor households but supplies will be short-lived, lasting only 1-3 months instead of the typical 3-5 months. Currently food security outcomes in grain-deficit areas are Stressed (IPC Phase 2).

With a new administration in place and plans to hold free and fair general elections later this year, authorities in Zimbabwe are hoping to see greater international investment in their country, according to the top United Nations official there.

Bishow Parajuli, UN Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), said now is the time to support the southern African nation.

“For every drop of water you waste, you must know that somewhere on earth, someone is desperately looking for a drop of water!” Novelist and thinker Mehmet Murat Ildan’s warning could be referring to the likes of 39-year-old Mercy Chimusoro of Zengeza 3 Extension D, Chitungwiza and her family.

Chimusoro and her family only experienced reliable water supply in the first two years after they moved to their new home in 2001. The next 14 years were marked by serious water shortages; Sometimes the taps remained completely dry for an entire month.

KEY FIGURES

329,900 people impacted by floods / cyclones in 2018

8,033 cholera cases (since Jan 2018)

24 regions with active cholera outbreaks

898,000 refugees and asylum seekers hosting in the region

Overview

The Zimbabwe Peace Project notes with concern incidents of violence reported in some areas where the opposition MDC-T is conducting processes to select candidates for the impending elections. Incidents of political violence were reported in Glen View, Glen Norah, Budiriro, Chitungwiza as well as Kambuzuma where party supporters failed to reach consensus on who would represent them forcing some of them to engage in violence and protests.

GENEVA, 2 May 2018 – Girls across Zimbabwe will be protected against one of the country’s most deadly diseases following the introduction of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the country’s routine immunisation programme, First Lady of Zimbabwe Auxillia C. Mnangagwa announced at a launch ceremony in Harare.

The vaccines, which will be funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Government of Zimbabwe, will reach over 800,000 girls aged between 10-14 years old across the country. UNICEF, WHO and partners will work alongside the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health on implementation.

Introduction

ZanuPF Primary Elections: A sign of worse things ahead?

Introduction