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Assessment of the Food Situation in Zimbabwe - August/September 2002: SUMMARY
National NGO Food Security Network (FOSENET)
October 12, 2002

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The National NGO Food Security Network (FOSENET) involves 24 non government organisations that collectively cover ALL districts of Zimbabwe, and all types of communities.

FOSENET members subscribe that food distribution in Zimbabwe must be based on a platform of ethical principles that derive from international humanitarian law, viz:

• The right to life with dignity and the duty not to withhold or frustrate the provision of life saving assistance;
• The obligation of states and other parties to agree to the provision of humanitarian and impartial assistance when the civilian population lacks essential supplies;
• Relief not to bring unintended advantage to one or more parties nor to further any partisan position;
• The management and distribution of food and other relief with based purely on criteria of need and not on partisan grounds, and without adverse distinction of any kind;
• Respect for community values of solidarity, dignity and peace and of community culture.

As one of its functions FOSENET is monitoring food needs, availability and access. Reports from 62 NGO field monitors from 43 districts of Zimbabwe for August and September 2002 indicate that:

1. Food needs are higher than in the July round. Almost all areas had less than one months food stocks, some provinces (Matabeleland North and South) had none while others (Masvingo, Midlands and Manicaland) were approaching this situation.
2. Food supplies are reported to be falling. The frequency of GMB deliveries is less than in the July round and least in provinces with least household food stocks. Reported GMB prices reached an upper range of Z$190/10kg.
3. Formal market supplies are low, especially for maize, oil and bread, although reported sugar supplies seem to be improved. Informal market supplies continue at up to Z$1200/10kg, particularly in provinces where household stocks and GMB deliveries (and thus alternative food sources) are lowest.
4. Elderly people, people with disabilities, orphans, patients and young children were most commonly identified as vulnerable. These groups faced specific reported barriers in access to all sources of food, including relief food.
5. People with disabilities and the elderly were reported to be relatively poorly catered for by relief relative to their identified vulnerability. Procedures, poor mobility and school drop out were reported as barriers to relief in children who have dropped out of school, people with illness or disability and orphans.
6. The cash for work programme was reported to have variable levels of payment and different target groups across districts.
7. High levels of population movement were reported during August/ September. Migration into districts was primarily due to people returning after job loss or for informal trade and then moving onto resettlement land, and out migration primarily reported to be due to people moving out to seek resettlement land or farmworkers losing jobs. Few reports were obtained of permament movements for food. The presence of displaced people was more frequently reported Matabeleland South, Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central.

Several issues emerge from this report:

• The groups identified as most vulnerable in terms of food needs are also those that appear to have least access to all sources of food, including relief.
• Household food stocks are generally at less than one months supply, GMB deliveries are inadequate, food in formal markets almost absent and in informal markets unaffordable.
• The provinces that seem to have lowest household food stocks also appear to have least access to controlled price state food and face the largest markups on private markets, further undermining their food security.
• Speculation on food, largely through informal markets, is not being controlled. Formal market food sales have dwindled substantially.
• The poorest have least resources to shift between (dwindling) alternative food sources. Even GMB sales have become unaffordable to some.
• Political bias continues to be reported in food access.

FOSENET welcomes feedback on these reports.
Follow up queries and feedback to: FOSENET, Box CY2720, Causeway, Harare - fosenet@mweb.co.zw

Visit the FOSENET fact sheet

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