The Zimbabwean government has announced plans to disburse US$20 cash payouts to vulnerable urban families struggling with food insecurity.
This initiative comes in response to the findings of the 2024 Urban Livelihoods Assessment conducted by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) which identified 1.7 million people in urban areas requiring drought assistance this year.
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, July Moyo, told journalists in Bulawayo on Wednesday that vulnerable urban families will receive US$13 or US$20 in local ZiG equivalent, depending on their needs assessment.
The social welfare minister said the Urban Livelihoods Assessment for 2024 conducted by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) confirmed that 1.7 million in urban areas require drought assistance this year.
Moyo said his ministry will work with the Office of Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Bulawayo Metropolitan and all government departments.
“We are organising the selection process so that we start immediately and we assist our people who are vulnerable and who need this livelihood to sustain themself,” Moyo said.
Moyo said the government was confident that the market – such as millers and shops – had enough food for people to buy.
“Last year we allowed the importation of food by the private sector. They have enough wheat or through contract farming. That’s why we are giving cash. We are in a multi-currency that’s why we quoted in the US but we are most likely going to give them ZiG cash.”
If the millers and shops run out of commodities, the minister said the government’s strategic grain reserve, Isiphala Senkosi or Zhunde Ramambo, has enough food to complement them.
Moyo added that the government approved a humanitarian appeal of food worth US$2 billion, which prompted the United Nations (UN) system to create a humanitarian appeal where every UN agency such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and others step in.
“When you have a drought everyone is affected, it’s not only food insecurity, there is a problem with water, energy – Kariba Dam levels are low so our energy problems are looked at. There is Gender Based Violence, we need to feed children in primary and secondary so that they don’t have stunting and malnutrition. All this is in the appeal both by the president and in the flash appeal,” he said.
As to when the cash transfers will start, the minister said they would soon embark on the screening exercise.
“When ZIMLAC for rural areas came out, we did a quick screening exercise where each one of the over 35 000 village heads convened meetings to screen and see what families needed. Now we are in a position where 6.1 million people in rural areas are being given food.”
Moyo said the government had mapped up a planning system where they assessed the amount of grain available at each Grain Marketing Board depot.
“We want to see which depot has enough food in the district, which depot can transport food to another depot that has less. All that plan requires that the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and transporters – public and private as well as those willing to help us are mobilised so that we can move this food,” he said.
