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Zimbabwe Humanitarian Situation Report
The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator’s Bi-Monthly Report No 12/03
June 23, 2003

FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment results launched
The report of the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment (CFSAM) was launched on 20 June 2003. The report outlines the results of the assessment that took place in April 2003, covering 24 districts in all provinces of Zimbabwe. Field assessments were made regarding household food security, vulnerability, coping mechanisms and social welfare programmes.

The CFSAM results indicate that close to 5.5 million people will be in need of food assistance in 2003/04, 4.4 million people in rural and 1.1 million in urban areas as outlined below. However, apart from urban areas, not all the affected people will be in need of full-year support.

In response to this situation GoZ will have to import approximately 370,000MT of maize (part of this will be made up of a quantity of some 174,000MT of maize that has already been purchased but not yet received). In addition it has been assumed that deficits in wheat and rice of 298,000 and 9,000MT respectively, will be met by commercial imports. The remaining gap, all in terms of maize should be covered by food aid. The total emergency food aid requirement has been estimated to total 610,000MT of maize where the total cereal requirement is currently 1.287 million MT. Of the total requirement only 120,000MT is currently in the pipeline, the remaining 490,000MT will have to be met by new contributions.

Estimates for this assessment were based on population figures from the 2002 census and a projection of this figure for mid 2003. This gave a total population of close to 11.7 million people in Zimbabwe.

Estimates of affected population

In terms of proportion of population in need of assistance, Matebeleland North and South and Midlands are the provinces most in need, with 67%, 61% and 63% of their populations in need respectively. In absolute figures Manicaland is estimated to have the highest number of people (757,809) in need of assistance.

While this year's cereal production for consumption is expected to be better than last year’s very poor harvest (up 41%), it is still well below average (51% lower than the 2000/01 harvest) and well below requirements. This food security outcome is a result of a number of factors including:

  • Erratic rainfall and dry spells, which meant that farmers had to replant many times as previous plantings were largely lost because of the drought.
  • Severe shortages of maize seed and fertilizer at planting time. This was made worse by the need to plant two or three times in many cases because of successive crop failures.
  • The closure of commercial farms.
  • Continuing constraints caused by the shortage of foreign exchange, affecting a number of key sectors of the economy.
  • Lack of training in proper crop husbandry especially for newly resettled farmers

The CFSAM also estimated a much lower than average winter crop of wheat. Wheat production is lower because of shortages of fertilizer and poor irrigation infrastructure as well as changes in the commercial sector.

The mission has recommended that food assistance is phased throughout 2003/04. In addition to the 5.4 million people described above, there are also a substantial number of people in Zimbabwe who will need other forms of assistance other than direct food aid. These people now have the resources to buy food when it is available on the market, but they are rapidly using up their income and savings buying high-priced food, and will eventually need food aid if major new supplies of food do not enter the market soon and moderate prices. This population’s food crisis can best be resolved with food imports for the market, not food aid. If their needs are not soon served, the food crisis will become much larger and more difficult to resolve.

Preparations for the Urban Vulnerability assessment underway
ZimVAC are currently in the process of leading the preparations for an urban vulnerability assessment to complement the soon to be completed rural vulnerability assessment. Food security within the urban and peri-urban areas continues to be an issue of major concern due to the rapidly declining economy. Like the rural vulnerability assessment, the process will involve key UN Agencies and NGOs.

The urban population in Zimbabwe has nearly tripled since independence, from an estimated 1.6 million in 1982 to almost 4.2 million in 2002. At present some 36% of the population live in urban areas. Indications are that the deterioration of economic and social conditions have had a significant impact on urban populations. The 1995/96 UNDP sponsored Poverty Assessment Study Survey (PASS) estimated that 39% of those living in urban areas were poor, while 1999 estimates indicate that the figure jumped to 60%.

Urban vulnerability assessments were carried out in 2001 and 2002 in Harare and Bulawayo respectively. Since this time there have been significant economic and social changes in Zimbabwe and it is even more important now to understand and monitor people’s vulnerability to these changing circumstances. Both the FAO/WFP and ZimVAC assessments have outlined the importance of carrying out this exercise. The FAO/WFP CFSAM has estimated that 1.1 million people living in urban areas will be in need of food assistance throughout 2003/04 and that monthly food aid needs would remain constant throughout the year. The CFSAM Mission observed that the situation in urban and peri-urban areas has deteriorated mainly due to hyper-inflation and unemployment.

The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) have released updated commodity price figures as shown in the graph below. The food inflation rate is pegged at 334.6 per cent, and this has been driven by the annual inflation rate which is at 300.1 per cent as in May 2003.

The proposed assessment will add value to existing initiatives in Zimbabwe by filling gaps in information and analysis.

In addition, discussions are underway to strengthen the role of the existing Urban Vulnerability Working Group such that it encompasses both assessment and programme discussion and decision-making. The next Urban Vulnerability Working Group is taking place on 8th July 2003.

Commodity prices/Food Inflation

Summary of Nutrition Survey results presented
A summary of the national nutrition survey results has been presented to key humanitarian stakeholders. The survey was done in, February 2003 by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, UNICEF, WHO, WFP and some NGOs with funding from DFID. The results show that the national nutrition situation has deteriorated through 2003 and that those districts that initially had lower prevalence have deteriorated the most.

The national survey sampled 50,000 children from across Zimbabwe. The main objectives were:

  • To measure nutritional status of children 6-59 months
  • To estimate crude mortality rates
  • To assess coverage of child supplementary feeding programmes
  • EPI

The summary states that nationally, global acute malnutrition (GAM) stands at 5%. District level prevalence rates ranged from 2.8% in Umzingwane to 10.7% in Mutare. GAM prevalence rates of above 8% are occurring in four districts; Binga 8.8%, Gokwe North 9.8%, Mutare 10.7% and Mutasa 9.8%. Another 11 districts have prevalence rates above 6%.

The national level of severe malnutrition is 1.4%. This represents a high proportion of GAM. 25% of districts nationally (15 in total) have severe acute malnutrition (SAM) equal or above 2%, this is significant and alarming, particularly as Zimbabwe does not currently have the capacity to deal with the caseload. The distribution of these districts is shown below.

The districts concerned are, Mutare, Mutasa, Guruve, Shamva, Mazowe, Hwedza, Mudzi, Marondera, Shurugwi, Zvimba, Gokwe North, Nkayi, Kwekwe, Mberengwa and Gwanda.

Underweight prevalence
Almost all the rural areas, expect Masvingo, have an underweight prevalence above the national average of 17.2%. Underweight in urban centres remains well below the national average. It is important to note that the rural provinces showing deterioration had much higher HIV/AIDS prevalence than other provinces.

C-SAFE assessment commences
At the specific request of USAID, UN/RRU is assessing the impact of the community assistance programmes funded under the Consortium for Southern Africa Food Security Emergency (C-SAFE). C-SAFE Zimbabwe is being implemented by the NGOs, CARE Catholic Relief Service and World Vision, with the latter tasked for national co-ordination activities. UN/RRU will provide USAID, the funding agent, an independent assessment of the programme’s functioning. The assessment will look at targeting issues, monitoring activities, delivery effectiveness and community reactions to the programme. The assessment will take place from 24 June to 15 July in those provinces that have active C-SAFE programmes, Matebeleland South, Matebeleland North, Masvingo, Midlands and Mashonaland West.

UNDP sponsors HIV/AIDS workshop for GoZ Ministries
Members of 12 GoZ ministries have participated in a workshop linking HIV/AIDS interventions to macro-economic frameworks, sectoral policies and the establishment of HIV/AIDS workplace friendly programmes. This workshop was held in Kadoma from 17-21 June 2003.

The UNDP sponsored workshop was held in order to assist GoZ ministries and other participants to:

  • Identify the factors which spread HIV;
  • Understand the multi-faceted nature of AIDS and its impact on development including factors such as poverty gender inequality;
  • Exchange methods, tools and approaches for formulating sector plans, policies, programmes and strategies that might reduce the spread of HIV and its negative impact.

The participants were taken through steps of application of strategic and systems thinking as tools for reflecting HIV/AIDS in development instruments and sectors. This process helped to bring about an understanding of why current responses to HIV have to be accelerated and expanded. Participants were also able to identify vulnerable groups within their sectors and to develop appropriate responses. Frameworks for sector plans were the outputs of the workshop.

Displacement in Ruwa
The UN/RRU has undertaken a rapid assessment in, Ruwa District to review the humanitarian needs of a population that had become displaced from their homes. The assessment found that 92 farm workers families (460 people) had been temporarily displaced from their homes. Some assistance has already been offered to the displaced people and UN/RRU is following up to ensure that the humanitarian needs of the affected populations are met.

Do-No-Harm in aid programming seminar
The Embassy of Sweden in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) held a half-day seminar on aid programming. Entitled ‘Do-no-harm and options for better aid programming in conflict situation’, the seminar, held on 19 June 2003, outlined an initiative that is based on 15 field based case studies from around the world that show clear patterns about how aid interacts with local tensions in both negative and positive ways.

The Do-No-Harm approach shows how well planned aid programming can support local capacities for recovery and reconciliation in communities affected by conflict and violence.

Information Reference of Humanitarian Assistance Meetings - June 2003

NB: Meetings are by invitation only. Please contact the focal point person if you wish information about any of these meetings

  • 26th June ‘03 HC monthly humanitarian meeting with NGOs: Contact: Annika Rosing, UNDP.
  • 26th June ‘03 Food Aid Donors Meeting Contact: Makena Walker, WFP.
  • 26th June ‘03 Emergency Agricultural Recovery Co-ordination mtg Contact: Morris Mudiwa, FAO.
  • 2nd July ‘03 Education WG Contact: Carla Rosa-Borges, UNICEF.
  • 8th July ‘03 Urban Vulnerability WG Contact: Elliot Vhurumku, FEWS NET
  • 17th July Child Protection WG Contact: Mayke Huijbregts, UNICEF.

For additional information or comments, please contact the United Nations Relief and Recovery Unit, Harare Tel: +263 4 792681, ext. 207 or e-mail: rru.zw@undp.org

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

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

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