from DANAI MWARUMBWA in Harare, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Bureau
HARARE, (CAJ News) – PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a state of disaster following the impacts of drought in Zimbabwe.
As a result of the dry spell attributed to the El-Niño phenomenon, the Southern African country anticipates 868 273 metric tonnes from this season’s harvest, hence it faces a deficit of nearly 680 000 metric tonnes of grain.
Mnangagwa, in a declaration on Wednesday, said this deficit will be bridged by imports. This is a major blow to a country that is battling economic challenges.
The president however said strategies were being implemented to avert the situation.
“Measures to encourage private sector participation are already in place,” Mnangagwa said.
“Top on our priority is securing food for all Zimbabweans. No Zimbabwean must succumb to, or die from hunger.”
The state of disaster is declared under the Civil Protection Act.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) forecast the poor 2024 harvest to impact household food access through the post-harvest period, along with high food prices and limited access to income-earning opportunities in the agro sector.
Water and pasture conditions are expected to be deprived.
Thus, poor livestock body conditions, particularly for cattle, will likely lead to higher-than-normal livestock deaths in the dry season as the limited pastures deplete and high prices limit access to supplementary feeds.
Zimbabwe is the latest country to declare a state of disaster over the drought, after Malawi and Zambia.
– CAJ News