Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
The small-holder farming community in Mount Darwin has received a drought relief boost after the distribution of mealie meal to vulnerable persons as part of government’s Drought Mitigation Strategy.
Small holder farmers in the Chesa area of Mount Darwin are used to practicing sustainable agriculture, but have not been spared from effects of the El-Nino induced drought this year.
The community received drought relief after the distribution of mealie meal to 500 of the most vulnerable members of the community by area Senator James Makamba this Saturday.
“I am happy with receiving this mealie meal, even the children will be happy because they are accustomed to mealie-based food like porridge and sadza,” a recipient told the ZBC News.
“The gesture by the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is welcomed. He has done a good thing for us. He continues to remember us,” another said.
Another stated, “The family had no more food left and what we have received today is a major boost.”
The social welfare department welcomed the initiative as a step in the right direction.
“This donation by Senator Makamba will help the elderly, people with disability and the vulnerable as we wait for government programmes. We know government procedures may take long as we have to undergo set out rules,” Mount Darwin Social Welfare officer, Mr Karison Kambumu said.
Mount Darwin Senator, Dr James Makamba highlighted the gesture seeks to
complement efforts by government and its partners to ensure no one dies of hunger.
“The President says I gave you a task, travel around the country, especially where you come from, see how people are living, work together with government to see the real picture where there are vulnerable groups and where people are in need of food, because the President doesn’t want to leave anyone behind. We all know food was being distributed in the rural areas, but in the small holder farming areas there was no food. So, food is coming, what we have done is just a temporary reprieve,” he told the beneficiaries.
The programme beneficiaries were drawn from Nyanjenje at Chesa, Nyakasikana, Kangaire, Nyamahobogo and Makororo, all falling under Pfura Rural District Council.
The gesture comes at a time government has undertaken drought mitigation initiatives targeting to cushion the vulnerable from the drought.
