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Zimbabwe Humanitarian Situation Report
The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator’s Bi-Monthly Report
November 13, 2002

Consultative process on humanitarian issues
Government Ministers, the UN Country Team and donor representatives met in the office of the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator to discuss priority issues regarding humanitarian assistance. Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. July Moyo and Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Hon. Dr. Parirenyatwa cited the most pressing concerns to Zimbabwe: food security; health and HIV/AIDS (with particular emphasis on vaccination and the nutrition of under 5 and school-aged children); and agricultural recovery and preparation for the new agricultural season.

Minister Moyo emphasised how important it was to consult at the district and sub district levels, including identification of the most vulnerable. Once again the donors emphasised the importance of having proper criteria for identification of beneficiaries. Announcement was also made that GoZ and Save the Children had renewed their relationship so that the NGO could resume food delivery in Binga District.

These co-ordination meetings will be held on a fortnightly basis: the next meeting has been set for 25 November at Takura House. The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator will facilitate the meetings.

Preparations for the 2002/2003 agricultural season
Maize Seed
Zimbabwe government reported that it has ordered and paid for 15,000MT of maize seed. The direct sales from seed houses through their own distribution chains is about 15,600MT. The total maize seed bought by government and that sold by seed houses to date would plant about 980,000ha. In addition, negotiations are underway with government to allow the seed houses sell another 15,000MT directly to the farmers.

Summary of FAO and NGO Agriculture Support as at 4 Nov 2002

NGO	Beneficiaries (households)	Funding status	Maize (MT)	Millet/ sorghum (MT)	Cow peas (MT)
IFRC	4,067	Fully funded	36	11	-
HELP	103,782	Fully funded	216	214	-
CRS	21,600	Fully funded	1,038		-
Save the Children (UK)	6,200	Fully funded	93		31
Plan International	59,572	Fully funded	596	560	298
FAO	48,300	Fully funded	480	95
CARE (Inter)	149,000	Fully funded	1,490	1,192	745
CAFOD	6,000	Fully funded	12	12
World Vision	68,201	28,201 not funded	160		341
CARE Zimbabwe	149,000	Fully funded	1,862	745
TOTAL	615,302		5,983	2,829	1,415

Sources: National VAC documents and meeting of 31 Oct. 2002.

Following the request by GoZ to FAO for assistance with the 2002/2003 agriculture season inputs, the Agency has mobilised resources (US$300,000) from Sweden, its own US$400,000 under TCP for direct inputs and US$215,000 from DFID for co-ordination of the agriculture input efforts. FAO indicated that it is awaiting the delivery of 48,300 input packs to Extended Delivery Points: this is expected to be completed by 20 November 2002. In addition, GoZ reported that seed maize distributions by GMB have started under the Input Credit Scheme.

The selection of beneficiaries is based mainly on the WFP food distribution criteria and 54 districts out of 57 are covered to date under the scheme. The other 3 districts (Kadoma, Makonde and Guruve) have no support as yet. Most NGOs indicated that they have received total funding for their input support schemes. However, some NGOs have not been able to source seed locally and are forced to import. Delays are, then, being experienced as seed has to be certified GMO free.

Area to be Planted
Total area that could be planted in maize with the seed that has been acquired by GoZ, FAO and NGOs, and has been sold directly by seed houses, to date will provide for about 1.2 million hectares. The initial production estimate at a yield of 0.6 to 0.8MT/ha would be between 720,000 and 960,000MT of maize. However, that is far below the national requirement of about 1.8 million MT, excluding the strategic grain reserve requirements. This figure could be revised upwards if inputs distribution improves in the next few weeks. The low yield as forecast now would be attributed to several factors:

• Slow distribution capacity by government agencies of inputs (seeds, fertilisers, hand-tools) and insufficient draught power for Model A1 farmers. The farmers are expecting tillage support from ARDA and the District Development Fund (DDF). However, DDF has very low capacity as more than 50% of its tractor fleet is non-operational due to lack of spares and frequent fuel shortages.
• Cattle in the Midlands, Masvingo, parts of Manicaland and Matebeleland communal areas were affected by foot and mouth disease and have not recovered sufficiently to be used for ploughing.
• Uncertainty among the old commercial farmers served with Sections 5 and 8 of the Land Acquisition Act as to whether they can continue farming – particularly since the latest amendment to the Act.
• Low up-take by the new Model A2 farmers, due to processing of legal requirements and serving of letters of offer.
• Low availability of ammonium nitrate fertiliser and slow distribution of Compound D.

In order to speed up the process GoZ has to rationalise the distribution of seed and other inputs, in order to allow the private sector play a meaningful role.

Wheat
Zimbabwe requires about 400,000MT of wheat per year. The 2002 wheat production estimate is 170,000MT. About 65,000MT had been harvested by end-October, leaving about 105,000MT still unharvested. There is concern among experts that about 35% of this wheat has been spoiled by the early rains and likely to be unfit for human consumption. Because of this the total harvest expected is about 133,000MT. Harvest reduction due to spoilage would thus result in a wheat deficit of about 267,000MT during the October 2002 to October 2003 period.

Food security worsens
Information from various WFP field offices indicates a worsening food security situation in many districts across the country. Some district hospitals have noted a marked increased in the number of malnutrition and pellagra cases treated. The Agency cited shortages of maize, bread, milk and sugar. In Harare, WFP noted that a 20kg pack of maize now sells for Z$3,000 on the black market with the same quantity going for about half that rate in rural districts of Masvingo Province. In most areas, it is not even available for purchase.

In light of the recent decision by GoZ to allow the private sector to import its own fuel, it might be asked whether a similar move, allowing the private import of cereals, could produce a positive impact on commercial food supplies and reduce the amount currently lost to the parallel market.

UNAIDS encourages integrated humanitarian assistance response
UNAIDS is actively working with the National AIDS programme to ensure that HIV/AIDS is considered a priority along side other more visibly urgent issues. A consultant is to compile a database on stakeholders participating in emergency HIV/AIDS interventions to strengthen coordination.

The National AIDS Council (NAC) has begun to distribute Z$5 million in the form of food packs and home-based care support through District AIDS Action Committee structures in the 84 HIV/AIDS districts of Zimbabwe.

As part of a strategy of integrated response, linking HIV/AIDS to the current food shortages, some health focussed NGOs indicated that they are already providing supplementary feeding to schools, where they are active in their other HIV/AIDS programmes. The Zimbabwe Association of Church Related Hospitals reported that it is actively involved in food distribution at Therapeutic Institutions (presently 10 mission hospitals) to pregnant mothers, children under 5, TB patients, People Living with AIDS and patients on Home Based Care.

Despite these efforts, UNAIDS reported that no funds have yet been received under the Consolidated Appeal. There is need for more mobilisation of resources to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

UNICEF employs strategic partnerships
UNICEF and Mvuramanzi Trust have launched sanitation programmes in Buhera, Bulilimamangwe, Gokwe North and Mount Darwin Districts. The programme comprises UNICEF’s emergency response to improve provision of safe and accessible water supplies and sanitation for orphans and other vulnerable children. This will be achieved through the construction of wells and improvement to pit latrines.

The last Nutrition Working Group meeting (which is led by UNICEF and includes participants from MoH&CW, WFP and the NGOs) reiterated the need that periodic rapid nutrition assessments need to be conducted to assess the nutritional status of vulnerable groups in the country. The working group strongly recommended that country wide nutritional assessments should take place at the end of 2002.

WHO cites drug shortages, commences training and vaccine distribution
WHO reported a shortage of drugs for treatment of Tuberculosis, just as predicted after an assessment in 2001. The report also expected drug deliveries from the EU to commence in September 2002, whereas they are now anticipated to arrive only by January 2003. In order to accommodate needs before the arrival of these drugs, Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide and Streptomycin will be administered. Distribution and monitoring mechanisms for drugs procured under the CAP have been established.

Effort is being made to predetermine other possible gaps arising after the awaited EU procurement. WHO has had discussions with the donor community regarding funding of these essential drug requirements, but no firm commitments have been made.

MoH&CW has submitted plans for epidemic preparedness strategies through provincial administrations. In order to strengthen the implementation and co-ordination of health sector assistance under the Consolidated Appeal (CAP), WHO will recruit 5 national professional staff by December 2002.

Maternal morbidity and mortality set to increase
UNFPA reported that due to other national pre-occupations, the vulnerability of women and youths has received less attention. The health sector has yet to address issues such as maternal mortality or emergency obstetric care. Given the relationship between food shortages and poor maternal health (including for pregnant and lactating mothers), the reproductive health situation is worsening in most parts of Zimbabwe. Health facility-based statistics reveal an upward trend in the maternal mortality ratio for Matebeleland North, Matebeleland South, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland.

The May 2002 rapid assessment also cited critical issues including a lack of access to antenatal care, increasing proportion of home deliveries and shortages of trained traditional birth attendants. In provinces such as Matebeleland North, the proportion of births occurring at home in the first quarter of 2002 was more than double the average in the three previous years. Economic difficulties have resulted in shortages of both regular staff and of essential drugs for the treatment of STDs and for delivery. Health facilities are experiencing an increasing shortage of delivery kits.

The crisis is driving an increasing number of youths (both in and out of school) into prostitution and early sex, thereby increasing their exposure to STIs and to HIV/AIDS. These issues cannot be seen as secondary. There is need to seriously consider the continued deterioration of the reproductive health status of women and youths.

In order to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS UNFPA indicated the need for young people to be assisted with income-generating projects, support for community sporting activities and a more easily accessible source of condoms and contraceptives.

Efforts to assist special vulnerable groups
Preparations for an in-depth study, conducted in close association with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, regarding farmworkers will soon be complete. The study attempts to identify the current socio-economic status of farmworkers, their needs and the requirements for urgent humanitarian assistance. Envisaged post-survey programmes include the design of pre-retrenchment counselling, re-skilling, skills training for self-employment and social protection interventions for the elderly, disabled youth and women. An initial programme of providing relief assistance to farmworkers in Zimbabwe is being negotiated.

A consultant has been recruited under RRU to organise the database of information on internal migrations in Zimbabwe.

Relief and Recovery Unit (RRU) Restructured
At the request of the Resident/Humanitarian Co-ordinator (RHC, OCHA and UNDP fielded a joint mission to review existing information co-ordination structures in Zimbabwe. Given the way the humanitarian situation in the country evolved, the existing structure and functions of the RRU required strengthening, in order to accommodate the amount of information sharing and coordination required. The mission has made recommendations for a reorganized RRU with terms of reference designed to better reflect the expectations of stakeholders in Zimbabwe and the specific nature of the current crisis.

In collaboration with RRU, the Ministry of Public Services, Labour and Social Welfare is making an effort to fast-track registration of NGOs. Applications for the following NGOs are at an advanced stage:

• Accion Contre la Faim
• Goal International
• Oxfam (GB)
• Save the Children (Norway)
• AfriCare

Calendar of Humanitarian Assistance Co-ordination Meetings and Working Groups

This Situation Report can be accessed on the Web at: www.reliefweb.int then click on "by country", then click on "Zimbabwe"

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