Zimbabwe President Declares State of Disaster Due to El Niño-Induced Drought
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a nationwide state of disaster in Zimbabwe and called for both local and international support due to the severe drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
This comes barely a week after Zambia and Malawi declared drought disaster and appealed for humanitarian support to alleviate food insecurity.
In a speech addressing the nation, President Mnangagwa highlighted the impact of the drought on the country’s agriculture and food security, as well as the need for immediate intervention.
Poor Performance
“The current agricultural Season of 2023 to 2024 has not performed according to expectations due to the El Niño- induced drought,” said President Mnangagwa.
He added, “As a result, more than 80 percent of our country received below normal rainfall.”
President Mnangagwa stated that the drought has affected the maize crop and other cereals, resulting in a significant decrease in expected harvest yields.
Additionally, he also highlighted that the outbreak of the Fall Army Worm has further worsened the situation, leading to even lower crop yields across the country.
Poor Rainfall
“Further worsening the situation characterised by poor rainfall was the outbreak of Fall ArmyWorm across the country,” the President indicated.
As a result of these challenges, the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee Report for 2023 projected that approximately 2.7 million people would be food insecure from April 2023 to March 2024. However, with the El Niño-induced drought worsening the situation, food insecurity levels are now expected to surpass this projection.
To address the food crisis, President Mnangagwa announced that the Strategic Grain Reserve, which currently holds 189,568 tonnes of cereals, will be supplemented with an allocation of 138,905 tonnes of surplus wheat. This will bring the total amount of cereals in the reserve to approximately 356,000 metric tonnes. However, with an expected cereal deficit of nearly 680,000 tonnes, the country will need to rely on imports to bridge the gap.
Food Security
The President emphasised the importance of securing food for all Zimbabweans, stating, “No Zimbabwean must succumb to, or die from hunger.”
He assured the public that resources would be mobilised and redirected towards national food security. Measures to encourage private sector participation in imports have already been implemented.
In addition to addressing the immediate food crisis, President Mnangagwa stressed the need for long-term solutions. He called for the expansion of the winter crop program, particularly in wheat-based food security, as well as the reactivation of winter maize projects in drought-prone areas. The President also highlighted the ongoing need for agricultural mechanisation and modernization, emphasising the importance of upgrading smallholder operations.
Water Security
Water security was another major concern addressed by the President. He emphasised the need to ensure adequate drinking water for the population, livestock, and wildlife. The government plans to drill more boreholes under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Program to mitigate the shortage of safe water sources.
The declaration of a nationwide state of disaster allows the government to utilise extraordinary measures to assist and protect those affected by the drought.
Mitigation Measures
In an effort to mitigate hunger and starvation, President Mnangagwa called upon all Zimbabweans, international community, UN agencies, private sector, churches, and individuals to generously donate to alleviate the National Disaster.
According to the World Food Program about 2.7 Million Zimbabweans Need Food Aid as El Nino Compounds Drought Crisis.
The President concluded by reassuring the nation that the government’s response would be comprehensive and inclusive, leaving no one without sustenance.
#News in Bulawayo #News in Zimbabwe Artist Arts BCC Bulawayo Bulawayo City Council Bulawayo Drugs Bulawayo economy Bulawayo industry Bulawayo news Bulawayo Police Bulawayo Water Bulawayo Water Crisis Bulawayo Women entrepreneurship Business Women Community Culture Currency Drug Abuse Drugs Economy Farmer Farmers Farming Informal Sector Informal Traders MSMEs Music News in Bulawayo News in Zimbabwe Police Police in Bulawayo Vendor Vendors water Water Crisis Water Shortage water supply issue Women entrepreneurship ZESA Zimbabwean economy Zimbabwe news Zimbabwe water crisis ZITF ZRP
Join us for all News in Bulawayo and Bulawayo News in Zimbabwe.