Soaring inflation worsens food situation

By Tichaona Sibanda
16 June 2006

The country’s ever rising inflation, the exchange rate and bureaucracy in government institutions continue to hamper efforts of organisations intending to offer food aid to vulnerable groups.

Fambai Ngirande, advocacy and communications officer for the National Association of Non-governmental Organisations (Nango), said the precarious food situation was now threatening the livelihoods of urban dwellers, most of whom are struggling to have a single meal each day.

Ngirande recently told parliament that around three million Zimbabweans will need food aid this year, but Zimbabwe’s appalling human rights record has resulted in the international community and donor agencies snubbing appeals for food aid.

‘The situation hasn’t changed, in fact it has got worse. Our consolidated appeal for US$276 million sent out by the United Nations, NGOs and church organisations in October 2005 has so far received only US$9 million.’

He also confirmed that NGO’s are still finding it difficult to operate because of record inflation levels of more than 1000 percent and the government’s controlled exchange rate. The fixed rate of exchange for the US dollar, much less than half the amount the greenback goes for on the streets, makes imports extremely expensive.

The Mugabe regime is in the habit of blaming repeated crop failures for the current food crisis, but critics always point out that the reduced production has been triggered by the controversial programme of land seizures from white farmers.

Above all that, said Ngirande, Zimbabwe is not a donor darling, donors are skirting the country and inflows have been substantially reduced.