Edith Mugabe
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) and the French Embassy have launched the Nourish and Thrive project to improve child nutrition status and promote household food security in parts of drought-hit Masvingo province.
France is funding the project, which is being implemented in Masvingo and Mwenezi ditricts, to the tune of €1 million through FAO which is the technical partner.
The project, which began in August this year, was officially launched in Harare earlier this week.
FAO sub regional coordinator for Southern Africa, Dr. Patrice Talla applauded all partners for their efforts to alleviate hunger.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Zimbabwe, the French Embassy and all our partners for their commitment to supporting vulnerable communities,” said Dr Talla.
He said the initiative was a response to the devastating effects of the El Niño-induced drought currently impacting the country.
“Estimates are that 30 percent of the population in Masvingo alone is struggling to meet their basic nutritional needs. In such a time of climate-related crisis, it is our collective responsibility to rise to the occasion and support those who are most vulnerable, especially women and children, who bear the brunt of these challenges,” Dr Talla said.
Acting Director of Social Development in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Totamirepi Tirivavi praised the partnership which he said was important for improved food security.
“This project aligns with the NDS-1 national blueprint of leaving no one behind, and with the recently launched Zimbabwe’s Multisectoral Food and Nutrition Strategy 2023-2025, whose aim is to ensure national food and nutrition security for all citizens,” said Tirivavi.
The French Ambassador to Zimbabwe was represented by Benjamin Durrenburg who stated that France was highly committed to the fight against malnutrition.
The Nourish and Thrive project is being implemented through such pillars as Community Infant and Young Child Feeding (CIYCF), nutrition education and communication, social protection, agriculture support and capacity strengthening interventions,
The project provides food assistance for upto 2 000 vulnerable households while addressing the immediate and underlying causes of child wasting and sub-optimal nutrition.
Overall, there will be 38 447 direct beneficiaries and 160 000 indirect beneficiaries including 7 000 children aged 0-23 months and 3 000 pregnant and lactating mothers.
The Cash+ package will see the combined use of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) modalities, where the cash component allows households to meet their immediate food needs.
The voucher will enable households to access agriculture inputs for micro-gardens and productive asset creation. Besides, farmers will receive training on improved and climate-smart agricultural practices.
