WFP in US$11.3m insurance contribution
LIVINGSTONE MARUFU
The World Food Programme (WFP) together with its partners have contributed to the purchase of insurance premiums worth over US$11m to cover rural people’s well being.
The United Nations agency works with rural population to strengthen their resilience through insuring their crops against weather vagaries.
The insuring of the rural populace will help them to use these claims to purchase food or continue with projects after the settlements with insurance companies.
Climate-related hazards, including drought, prolonged mid-season dry spells, flash floods, cyclones, pests and diseases have negatively affected vulnerable people in Zimbabwe.
“[WFP] contributed for the purchase of an insurance premium worth US$11.3m to protect rural livelihoods,” WFP said in its annual country report.
One of WFP beneficiaries Constance Mugore said insuring crops reduce the risk of losing everything if there is a drought.
Through resilience programmes, beneficiaries were taught to collectively save money and lend it to each other to start small businesses and to set up gardens where they have water to produce vegetables and harvest fish.
WFP assisted 674,358 people with 48% being men and 52% women and a total of 2,519 metric tonnes of food were distributed to support vulnerable communities.
WFP assisted 595,000 people with unconditional transfers.
“US$ 2.1m in cash-based transfers was disbursed to refugees and urban households to enable them to meet their food needs. Also 12,500 refugees are assisted monthly,” WFP said.
It also handled between US$3m to US$4m worth of non-food items and food every month.
Also provided supply chain services to seven entities, including five UN agencies and two non-governmental organisations.
The world’s biggest food aid agency marked 20 years of its operations in Zimbabwe.
While celebrating two decades in Zimbabwe, WFP launched a US$52m four and half year programme last year.
“In July [2022], WFP Zimbabwe transitioned to a new country strategic plan covering the period from July 2022 to December 2026, providing a roadmap to consolidate promotion of shock-responsive social protection, and sustainable and resilient food systems,” reads part of the statement.
“72% of all the available resources were allocated to crisis response activities and 82% of all available resources were direct contributions from traditional donors.”
WFP continued to strengthen its partnerships with the government, local communities, and other UN agencies, helping to advance policies and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
In its resilience building programmes WFP anticipates that by 2026, national and sub national Institutions would have strengthened capacities to develop, coordinate and implement well-informed, effective and equitable actions to achieve food security and nutrition.
