Zimbabwe Food Security Desk Research: Matabeleland North Province

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a desk research of the food security situation in Matabeleland North Province. The desk research was complemented by primary data collected for a market study in the same province. The desk research focused on greater understanding of food accessibility, availability, utilization, nutrition, and gender and intersectionality issues, as well as lessons learned from past food assistance programs. A central aspect of the research is to understand factors behind food security or lack thereof in Matabeleland North Province. Through this study, we identify the risks, opportunities, constraints, and impacts on the achievement of outcomes in human development influenced by the agriculture and food security sectors. Matabeleland North Province experiences acute food insecurity due to a number of factors that include poor rains, human wildlife conflict, unfair pricing mechanisms, high input prices, lack of access to markets, land tenure insecurity, limited availability of agricultural extension services, poor irrigation systems, and animal diseases. As a result, households in Matabeleland North are abandoning farm-based livelihoods. Food access is mostly affected by policy and infrastructure challenges. Policy trials and inconsistencies, high transport costs, distance to markets, isolation of some areas during the rainy season, exchange rate-induced price variability, and cash shortages affect food accessibility in the province. Due to gender roles and time use, more women than men are affected by inaccessibility of food. In 2019, Matabeleland North Province was the province in Zimbabwe with the highest proportion of households consuming poor diets. Limited dietary diversity resulting from a cereal-based diet contributes to nutritional deficiencies. Under nutrition and malnutrition rates are high. Owing to this situation, there are a number of state and non-state actors implementing food assistance programs in the province, using in-kind, cash/food for assets, cash transfers, and vouchers—all with the aim of producing long-term food security and dietary impacts, better management of shocks and stresses, and putting households on a resilient pathway.