Mudenda urges Zimbabweans to eat porridge as drought looms

Zimbabwe's Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has urged citizens to reduce their consumption of sadza or isitshwala and switch to porridge to conserve maize meal amid fears of a devastating El Niño-induced drought that could leave millions facing food shortages.

Addressing legislators during the 2027 Pre-Budget Seminar in Bulawayo on Friday, Mudenda warned that the Government might struggle to feed vulnerable communities if the country experiences another severe drought.

He cautioned that relying entirely on Government assistance could have devastating consequences, including loss of life.

"If we rely only on the fiscus, some people will die of hunger," Mudenda told lawmakers.

The Speaker called for a nationwide campaign encouraging households to conserve food, reduce waste and adopt eating habits that would help stretch available grain supplies.

He suggested that Zimbabweans replace thick maize meal dishes such as sadza and isitshwala with thinner porridge, arguing that the latter requires less maize meal and could help families preserve their stocks for longer.

Mudenda drew parallels with the devastating drought of 1957, recalling how families adapted their eating habits to survive food shortages.

"I was a toddler in 1957. Instead of cooking isitshwala, you cook porridge," he said.

"Yes, let everybody drink porridge. If you cook porridge, you save on mealie-meal. Tell the people that no sadza should be thrown away."

He said families had also reduced their daily meals from three to two during previous droughts as part of efforts to manage limited food supplies.

Mudenda urged parliamentarians to educate their constituencies about food conservation and the importance of avoiding unnecessary waste before shortages become widespread.

His warning comes amid concerns that southern Africa could experience another difficult agricultural season associated with El Niño, a climate phenomenon linked to warming waters in the Pacific Ocean that can contribute to reduced rainfall and higher temperatures in the region.

Zimbabwe remains particularly vulnerable to drought because millions of rural households depend on rain-fed agriculture for food production and livelihoods.

The devastating 2023-2024 El Niño drought severely affected agricultural production across southern Africa, destroying crops and leaving millions of people requiring humanitarian assistance.

Mudenda warned that another prolonged dry spell could place additional pressure on national grain reserves, household food supplies and Government finances.

He called on Treasury to prioritise social protection programmes in the forthcoming 2027 National Budget to ensure vulnerable communities receive adequate assistance.

"The Super El Niño is coming. The 2027 budget therefore should fortify social protection safety nets through which the Government honours its pledge to leave no one and no place behind," he said.

The Speaker also urged MPs to exercise their oversight responsibilities to ensure that food assistance reaches deserving beneficiaries without discrimination or unnecessary delays.

He said preparations should begin immediately rather than waiting until drought conditions result in widespread hunger.

The warnings come as Zimbabwe continues efforts to strengthen agricultural resilience through irrigation development, improved water management and increased grain production.

However, the possibility of another severe drought has raised concerns about the country's ability to protect households already struggling with the cost of living.

Mudenda's proposal to reduce maize consumption highlights the growing urgency surrounding food security as the Government prepares to present its 2027 National Budget on November 19.

While the severity of the coming rainy season remains uncertain, the Speaker maintained that early conservation measures and stronger social protection systems would be critical to preventing a humanitarian crisis.