The United States Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has unveiled USD 1 million funding for a drought mitigation project in four districts in Zimbabwe. FAO, working with the Government of Zimbabwe is implementing the project which supports smallholder farmers access drought tolerant seeds and subsidised stock feed.

The one year long project, which is being implemented through the Ministry of Lands Agriculture, Water Climate and Rural Resettlement targeting smallholder farmers in Bulilima, Tsholotsho, Gwanda and Chivi.

Speaking at the launch of the project, the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Country Representative to Zimbabwe, Patrick Kormawa, said the project was timely as it would cushion farmers from the blow of the anticipated drought during the 2018 -2019 farming season.

“As FAO, we are grateful for the support as it targets some of the driest districts in the country and these are likely to be hardest hit by the El Nino induced drought. Such resources are vital as they ensure food and nutrition security even when the smallholder farmers are exposed to shocks of intermittent rains,” said Kormawa.

It is forecast that the southern Africa region will have a normal to below normal rainfall season. As such through this project, smallholder farmers, from the benefitting districts, are able to withstand the vagaries of the low rainfall through access to drought tolerant seeds and supplementary feed for livestock.  The assistance lays a critical foundation for helping farmers to develop resilience against future shocks.

Ensuring food and nutrition security

Under the project, the supplementary feed is delivered to convenient locations where it can easily be accessed by the farmers. Smallholder farmers are also provided with subsidised sorghum seed and cowpeas seed. Sorghum, like other small grains, is drought tolerant. Pulses such as cowpeas are multipurpose, the leaves make a delicious relish, while the pulses can be consumed fresh or dried making it ideal for household food and nutrition security. 

The combined effect of a potentially poor rainfall season and high input prices points to an under-performing agricultural sector with dire consequences for the rural households that derive a significant proportion of their livelihoods from rain-fed crop and livestock production. In addition, the current economic situation is distorting markets, eroding purchasing power and affecting coping strategies.  This could exacerbate the impacts of the erratic rainfall received in 2018, particularly on agriculture, and cause a deterioration in food security. The eroded capacity in 2018/2019 will result in extended deterioration in food security in 2020.