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Oxfam GB Food Security Assessment: Midlands and Masvingo Provinces
Oxfam GB
May 2005

http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0001707/Oxfam_zimbabwe_May2005.pdf

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Executive summary
Zvishavane and Chirumanzu districts in the Midlands province and Masvingo and Gutu districts in Masvingo province are all benefiting from programmes that Oxfam GB is implementing. (Directly in the first two and through a partner (RUDO) in the other two districts).

With the aim of understanding the food security situation and general livelihoods of people in its operational areas, Oxfam GB commissioned a food security assessment. The assessment was carried out in the four districts where Oxfam GB works from the 9th to the 27th of May 2005 and used the Household Economy Approach (HEA)1 in the collection and analysis of data. A separate water and sanitation investigation was carried out parallel to the food security assessment by an Oxford-based water and sanitation engineer in the same area.

The assessment revealed that, taking all food sources into account, households in all the wealth groups met their minimum annual food requirements in the reference year (2003-04). Crop production is very important as a source of food for all wealth groups. However it was realized that even in a good or average agricultural year, the poor do not produce enough grain to last until the next harvest due to factors related to crop production such as access to draught power, agricultural inputs and their reliance on rainfall. Therefore the poor and some middle wealth group households have a variety of activities that help them supplement their grain deficit by earning cash that they can use to purchase food. These activities are supported by good community networks that help all households access food in different ways. The poor provide agricultural labour to the middle and better-off farmers in return for grain or cash payment. This relationship also allows the better-off farmers to access labour locally and produce higher yields.

This assessment confirmed that community gardens are a significant source of food and income for households in all wealth groups. Vegetables are either sold for cash or bartered for grain. The variety of vegetables grown is also important to the diet as vegetables have a high nutritional value. However, it is crucial to note here that the community gardens are dependent on water if they are to produce throughout the year.

All wealth groups have a wide range of activities that are important for income earning. However, activities such as gold panning (Zvishavane district), despite their large income returns, are a harmful strategy once their impact on the household’s social fabric, care for children, HIV/AIDS and environmental damage are considered.

The drought that was experienced during the 2004-2005 season has had an adverse effect on crop production such that all the four districts only managed to harvest between 20% and 30% of their normal grain production. This drop had serious knock on effects on other sources of food and income and prices of other food commodities. Even if there is food in the market the poor and middle households will not be able to access their full food requirements. However, if food is unavailable on the market, then all wealth groups will be critically affected as coping mechanisms reported are largely income based e.g. the sale of livestock, craft and wild food sales and gold panning and even better-off households did not harvest enough grain to see them through to the next harvest. This finding is even more vital given the recent action by the government of Zimbabwe to curtail petty trading. Distress coping strategies that affect future livelihoods are likely to be used by many households in an effort to access food. Households affected by HIV/AIDS will be put in a very disadvantaged situation where they will have to make a choice between health and food.

The assessment also found that water and sanitation conditions were still very low in the assessed districts. Most of the boreholes, which are the main sources of safe water for human consumption, small kitchen gardens and small livestock, were not functioning in areas like Gutu and Masvingo districts since the communities could not meet the cost of repairing them. Some of the water points like dams that are used for irrigation of community gardens and watering livestock were also found to have silted and to be drying. The District Development Fund was also poorly funded to take on the task and some of the spare parts required are expensive. Sixty percent (60%) of the households in all the districts have no access to household latrines due to high construction costs and, at least partially some lack of knowledge of the importance of having one. The use of the bush for human waste disposal leaves the population in a very dangerous position since most have resorted to the use of open sources of water.

The assessment came up with remedial, medium and long-term recommendations to improve the food security situation of people in the next 12 months and improve their general livelihoods. Programmes that avail food were recommended as the communities are experiencing a minimum annual food deficit ranging from 40% - 75% between July 2005 and April 2006. Of great concern is the increasing unavailability of grain in the market that makes market oriented intervention systems impossible to consider and raises the spectra of widespread food shortages across the population, substantially increased levels of acute malnutrition, especially of young children, which would lead to increased morbidity and mortality.

It is recommended that food aid be provided as from July 2005 for the poor wealth group, which makes up about 40% - 50% of the population. The middle group, who are about 30% - 40% of the population, will need food aid as from August 2005, while the better-off should be considered as from October 2005. The programme should run up to the next harvesting period (April 2005). Regular and rigorous monitoring of food availability and prices will also be required. Interventions that support longer term livelihoods and improve water and sanitation are also crucial.

It is implicit in all recommendations that the needs of HIV/AIDS affected and infected households be taken into account, especially in regard to targeting as stigma and/or a lack of representation at community meetings and other fora mean that these households are at high risk of being excluded.

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