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Community Assessment of the Food Situation in Zimbabwe June/July 2002: FULL REPORT
National NGO Food Security Network (FOSENET)
August 15, 2002

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Reported causes of food insecurity
Food insecurity is mainly traced back to poverty (40 constituencies) as people are unable to afford the increased costs of food, driven in part by scarcities and speculation (see later). Drought is identified as a cause of food insecurity in 33 constituencies, while early adult mortality due to AIDS is identified as a cause of food insecurity in 11 districts. Political discrimination is identified as a primary cause of food insecurity in 4 districts.

In 128 of the 141 reports (91%) monitors identified maize supplies as inadequate. Even where maize deliveries were taking place (see later) they were too little to meet the basic demand in the area. Other priority food needs were identified as cooking oil (56 constituencies), sugar (49 constituencies), salt (41 constituencies), beans (37 constituencies) and matemba (20 constituencies).

Controlled price goods were reported to be out of stock, making it difficult for people to afford larger quantities.

Cooking oil is available but 375ml is going for $192 and 20l for $9 500. 750ml, 2l and l bottles are nowhere to be found. This is mainly because they have controlled prices." Harare

Food availability
Food (grain) was reported to be coming into in almost all constituencies. The following were reported to not have received grain deliveries in the past month.

This needs follow up investigation.

GMB Deliveries
The food was primarily maize coming primarily from GMB with some maize from non government organizations through relief activities. The GMB deliveries were reported to be infrequent and inadequate, with an average of 1,5 deliveries per constituency in the month. There was a high level of variability between constituencies, with a range of 0-8 GMB deliveries within the month. It was reported that wide variability was observed in frequency of delivery even between constituencies close to each other.

Transport shortages were blamed in some cases for inadequate GMB deliveries to local areas. In some areas it was reported that a ‘handling charge’ is raised (eg: $100 / bag in one area) for the grain to be brought to the ward. This is used to defray transport costs and shared between those who organize the food coming in.

Relief Deliveries
The areas reporting relief activities were:

In urban areas where relief was less common, government food for work programmes were reported, where people earn money for public works. In some areas it was reported that this scheme covered all those seeking access. In others it was reported that one must be ‘cleared’ by the local ward councilor or Zanu(PF) chairman. In one urban area MDC ward councilors were reported to be bypassed as channels for this programme (Gweru).

Survival strategies
Where food deliveries are inadequate (or not accessed) a range of survival strategies are being used: The primary strategy reported is substituting staples (sweet potatoes, bread) for maize (in 15 constituencies). In eleven (11) constituencies people were reported to be selling household assets or livestock to afford the costs of buying food and people were reported to be relying on informal markets or wild foods in nine constituencies each. People with difficulties in accessing GMB sales within their districts were reported in 5 constituencies each to be buying from others in the district or traveling to buy outside the district. Both circumstances are likely to raise the costs of the food. In four constituencies those buying food were noted to be using barter trade. Selling sex for money or for food was identified as a survival strategy in 2 constituencies.

"People in Musenampongo soak busika (Tamarind) in water and mix the juice with white ashes to make it thick and children drink it."

In one area of Mashonaland West it was observed that relief food is being distributed to people who already had a harvest and are selling the grain to a neighbouring area. This would need to be further verified.

Food access
Different people were observed to be getting different access to food across a number of constituencies. Access to money and political discrimination were the major factors identified as enabling or impeding access, although physical issues of distance to grain sales points, lack of IDs or difficult procedures were also raised. The infrequent deliveries to local depots by the GMB were also identified as a problem.

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