Government To Resume School Feeding Program Amidst Drought Crisis

The Zimbabwean government is set to reinstate its school feeding program when schools open for the third term next week, in response to the widespread food insecurity caused by an El Niño-induced drought.

The initiative is aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of the drought, which has left millions of households struggling to secure sufficient food.

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At a recent workshop in Masvingo focused on the Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy (FDMS) and Lean Season Assistance Lessons, Tawanda Zimhunga, Chief Director of Social Development in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare, announced that the government plans to ensure grain supplies are available in schools before the new term begins. “The school feeding program will resume when schools open, but due to limited resources, it will initially focus on primary schools,” Zimhunga said.

The urgency of the situation is underscored by findings from the recently released Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Report, which reveals that only 7.5% of children nationally received a hot meal at school. Matabeleland North province reported the highest proportion, with 29.8% of children benefiting from school meals.

Many schools face significant challenges in raising funds for transporting and processing grain from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB). Shylet Shero, a mother of three from Mwenezi, expressed support for the government’s initiative. “A lot of schoolchildren have been dropping out due to the drought, and their academic performance has suffered because they have been going to school on empty stomachs,” Shero said. She added that the resumption of the school feeding program would likely improve both school attendance and performance.

Patric Muzwimbiri, Acting Chief Operations Director at GMB, confirmed that the board has the capacity to mill the grain and employ a cluster approach for distribution. “The cluster approach involves distributing school grains alongside FDMS grain in the same district, ensuring efficiency in distribution,” Muzwimbiri explained. He also noted that the milling of school grain is expected to be completed by September 30.

The government is also planning to collaborate with the World Food Programme (WFP) to enhance food distribution efforts. Zimhunga indicated that discussions with WFP have already begun, focusing on improving storage facilities and optimizing the distribution strategy. “WFP has presented several proposals to help improve our school feeding program. We need to strategize together to ensure effective implementation,” he said.

However, the government is also grappling with issues of theft and corruption related to food aid. Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo voiced concerns over the misappropriation of grain by some officials. “The President is making every effort to provide food to those in need, but some individuals are exploiting the system and stealing from this crucial assistance. This behavior must stop,” Moyo asserted.