FOSENET : NGO Food Security Network

Assessment of the Food Situation in Zimbabwe
November 2002: SUMMARY

The National NGO Food Security (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 derived from international humanitarian law:
· 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 provide 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;
· Respect for community culture and values of solidarity, dignity and peace

As one of its functions FOSENET is monitoring food needs, availability and access. Reports from 166 reports from 53 districts of Zimbabwe for November 2002 indicate that:

· Food security has fallen again across most districts in November, with 5 districts reporting improved supply from World Food Programme.

· Vulnerability has widened . The share of districts reporting ‘everyone’ is in need of food has risen from 0% in September to 40% in October and 51% in November.

· Reports of displaced people have fallen from 53% districts in August/September, to 23% in November. Manicaland and Mashonaland East have had consistently high levels of displaced people reported throughout the period.

· A majority (81%) of districts report school dropout due to hunger, food seeking and care of the ill by school children. Provision of food at schools was noted to be an incentive for children to attend and interruption or inadequacy of school feeding in three districts reported to be associated with absenteeism.

· Falling, erratic GMB and commercial supplies were reported in November across the majority of districts, although with increased deliveries of World Food Programme maize and improvements in GMB supplies noted in 8 districts. The reported frequency and volume of GMB deliveries fell consistently from July to November, with Matabeleland North and South consistently reporting more districts with no deliveries, in some districts for two three consecutive months.

· The upper price range reported of GMB grain of Z$202 is 74% above the controlled price. Political barriers and supply constraints to GMB grain have been reported from an increasing share of districts between July and November and have superceded cost as the major barrier to access.

· An extremely low reported share of households were able to access adequate seed (18%) and fertiliser (4%). Poor access to seed and thus crops planted in a short rainfall season can exacerbate household food insecurity.

· Commercial supplies of basic foods were reported as low, erratic and increasingly costly. Supplies have been variable, improving between July and November in Mashonaland East, Masvingo and Matabeleland South, but staying at low levels in Matabeleland North. Cost, reduced supply, and non transparent sales were the major reported barriers to commercially supplied food.

· Reported informal market prices / 10kg maize meal ranged from Z$250-Z$2 000, nearly twenty times the controlled price, and in increase of 233% in the reported informal market price between July-November 2002. Informal markets are explicitly reported to be linked to leakages of controlled price food in six districts in November, with profit margins of sale price over control price of up to 279% or $1884 / 10kg in grain sold.

· Wild fruits and roots, cutting grains from the diet and cutting meals are the most commonly reported strategies for survival. In 13% of districts people are reported to be selling household assets – livestock, goods- to buy food. Asset stripping for food, which pushes households further into poverty, has increased in reported frequency in the last two rounds of monitoring.

· Reported relief supplies have increased, although with supplies stopped in wards in 7 districts, in two of these due to political circumstances. Elderly, sick or disabled people have been consistently identified for four rounds of monitoring as the primary grouping having difficulty accessing relief.

The November round indicates some positive trends in increased WFP and relief food coverage and improved standardization of cash for work payouts. However it also notes worsening trends in vulnerability, in cost inflation and political bias in GMB and market supplies. Of serious concern is the consistent shortfall in GMB and commercial maize in Matabeleland North and South for several months, the reported increase in sale of household assets to buy food, biased access to controlled price foods fuelling speculation in informal markets and the low reported level of access to seed and fertilizer in all areas. The latter factors send a threat of chronic food insecurity and deepened poverty.

FOSENET welcomes feedback on these reports. Follow up queries and feedback to
FOSENET, [email protected]