Zimbabwe (Hansard, 24 February 2003)

§ Mr. Swire
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of food shortages in Zimbabwe. [98651]

§ Clare Short
The latest Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee survey indicates that 7.2 million people are currently in need of emergency food aid. The WFP and bilateral programmes aim to target 40 per cent. of needs, with the Government of Zimbabwe and the private sector responsible for the greater part of the response. Government reports imports of around 700,000 tonnes of maize to date, but the distribution of this food is not transparent, and the private sector has been excluded from participation.
The performance of the World Food Programme and its implementing partners has improved steadily. In January 2003, 3.3 million people were fed, and another 2 million people received supplementary food through bilateral programmes. The WFP is close to meeting its revised target of feeding 4.5 million people in February 2003, and 5 million in March 2003. Contributions and pledges to the WFP emergency appeal mean that the main WFP pipeline is 83 per cent. full until June of 2003.
Prospects for the coming year are under assessment. Insufficient maize was planted and the lack of fertilizers and rainfall raise the prospect of another poor production year. The capacity of the Government of Zimbabwe to continue to import maize in quantity is of concern, and it is already clear that continued international assistance will be needed. Donors are already planning for the future, and urging Government to ease price controls, which are distorting internal markets, and to open importation to the private sector to help meet needs.

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian effects of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Zimbabwe.[98993]

§ Clare Short
The current FMD outbreak started in August 2001 at the time of the farm invasions, when fences were destroyed and domestic cattle were allowed to mingle with wild buffalo that carry the disease. Since then the illegal movement of animals and livestock theft has widened the geographic area of the outbreak.
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Although the disease is highly infectious it appears to have a lesser impact in local domestic livestock, which although they become ill rarely die. There are fears however that the disease could spread to the more susceptible dairy animals. Exports of beef, dairy and pork products have been banned, halting the country's US$ 60 million export trade.
As smallholders own most of the cattle in Zimbabwe they are exposed to restrictions on animal movements and receive lower prices for their animals from infected areas. Foreign exchange shortages are limiting efforts to vaccinate animals at risk. Despite the best efforts of the veterinary services to control the outbreak there is neither the funding nor the political will to prevent illegal movement and restore the wildlife fences.