Government is prepared for the natural disaster

Watching Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaking about the El-Nino -induced national disaster on Tuesday, one can draw confidence that Government is very much prepared for this disaster. For that reason, government deserves an appreciation and support from all sectors of society.

President Mugabe declared the 2015-2016 agricultural season a national disaster. I am impressed with the state of preparedness of government in this regard. We are told government has to feed at least three million until March 2017 when another harvest is expected. In view of this drought, government needs about US$1.5 billion to import grain. The Non-Governmental Organisations, both local and international and businesspeople should listen and react to the voice of appeal.

Already government's appeal has yielded something as international development partners have mobilized $60 million for food importation. Mr Bishow Parajuli, the United Nations resident coordinator confirmed this week that US$60 million has already been mobilized to help Zimbabwe.

Government also has an emergency response plan that includes food importation, vulnerable food distribution, emergency water supply, micro-nutrient feeding of the under fives, emergency irrigation rehabilitation and development, school feeding, livestock and wildlife support.

It is time for the NGOs to show the drought stricken people of Zimbabwe that they really care and empathize with them. We have seen these NGOs very active in the so-called democracy issues where they purport to assist the people of Zimbabwe to democratize their country. They also say they want to defend the rights of the people of Zimbabwe. Unfortunately people of Zimbabwe do not live on democracy and rights alone. They need food first and foremost. Food is the basic need of the people. It is the primary human necessity that overshadows any other essentials.

Therefore, all people and organizations should take this issue as a matter of priority and save humanity and animals' lives. Political differences should be set aside and fight the common enemy of hunger. However, we urge NGOs and others who are to assist, to avoid using food handouts for political expediency. History is awash with incidences where the NGOs gave people food with their right hand while their left hand held opposition ideologies. They campaigned for the MDC-T using food handouts.

Now that we have learnt that we don't control natural rains, government must now put human effort where it can. For instance, the drilling of boreholes in A1 farms can assist them to start irrigation projects where they can subsequently support the national food reserves by growing summer crops.

Government could also assist farmers with the transfer of cattle from drought stricken areas until the situation improves in those areas. It is unfortunate that some unscrupulous businesspeople and other well-fixed individuals are taking advantage of the drought to rip off farmers, especially peasant farmers of their cattle. Imagine a farmer parting away with his beast for a scanty US$50. People must have conscience. If all things were equal, the same beast can be sold for $500 or more.

During the parliamentary question and answer session, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Joseph Made urged farmers to sell their cattle before they succumb to drought. It is a good idea but government must regulate the price of cattle to curb the manipulation of poor farmers.

Government must be applauded for resuscitating the feeding programmes in schools. This writer went to school during a time when the feeding programme was still in full swing. Pupils could be fed with porridge, mahewu or even sadza and beans. Apart from mitigating hunger, the feeding programme motivated learners a lot. School was the best place to be for the learners.