Communities report widespread crop failures

A survey of communities across Zimbabwe points to a sharply deteriorating food security situation, with 82 percent of districts reporting widespread crop failure after poor rains in the 2004/05 growing season. "[This] is atypical for this time of year, and compares with 29 percent of districts reporting this [rise in food insecurity] in April 2004. In previous years April has been ... the period with the highest share of districts reporting improved food supplies, as harvest yields boost household supplies," said the latest report by Food Security Network (FOSENET), a national NGO. Although reports of deteriorating food supplies were received from all 45 districts surveyed, the worst-affected districts were situated in a central arc within Matabeleland North, Masvingo and Midlands provinces. Supplies of the staple maize meal also began to fall at urban sites in April. Early harvest yields usually contribute to improved food availability from March onwards, but "a large proportion of households are reported to be sourcing food from commercial sources, both in rural and urban areas," the survey found. "Reports from sentinel sites indicate that the share of households sourcing food from [their] own harvest is low, with 20 percent of districts reported to be using this as a food source in April 2005. This has fallen since September 2004, when 52 percent of districts reported this as a food source, and compares unfavourably to the 44 percent reported in April 2004," FOSENET pointed out. The lack of rain meant "three-quarters of districts (72 percent) reported that households in the wards planted maize - and nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of these districts reported that the crop yield is poor to none". Apart from a greater reliance on the open market for food, communities have also turned to the state's Grain Marketing Board (GMB). "GMB deliveries were reported in sites in 49 percent of the districts in April 2005. This is an increase compared to the 23 percent reporting this in September 2004, and significantly higher than the 21 percent reporting this in April 2004," the researchers discovered. However, a rise in the GMB's controlled maize price has also been highlighted as a problem for the poor. "Communities report that households have had difficulty affording GMB maize, with prices of Zim $10,000 [US $1.11] per 10 kg of grain being reported. Prices of GMB maize are reported to have risen by an average of 90 percent since April 2004," FOSENET commented. Prices of commercial maize meal have also increased since last year, with the reported price in both formal and informal markets averaging Zim $24,000 ($2.66) per 10 kg, just over double the price of GMB maize grain. "Higher prices remain a problem for the urban poor, as they are primarily dependent on commercial sources for food. Monitors in half of the sites reported that 49 percent of households in their sites cannot afford these commercial maize meal prices," the report added. Commercial supplies of maize meal were also significantly less than April 2004, a reflection of the "overall production shortfalls". Relief activities were reported in just 12 districts, including the government's cash-for-work programme and some NGO feeding of school children, pregnant women and people living with HIV/AIDS.