Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Hebert Zharare
19 November 2009
Rome — THE World Food Programme has warned agents distributing its food in Zimbabwe to desist from interfering in the country's politics, ordering them to carry out their operations through Government structures.
This emerged during a meeting between President Mugabe and WFP executive director Ms Josette Sheeran on the sidelines of the Food and Agriculture Organisation's summit which ended here yesterday.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said President Mugabe disclosed to Ms Sheeran that he was dismayed by actions of some non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe that were meddling in the country's politics.
He said the Government had information showing that the NGOs in question had been campaigning for particular parties and using food as a political weapon.
"During the meeting with the WFP today (Tuesday), the President expressed concern over the actions by some agents used by WFP in Zimbabwe because they were meddling in the country's politics by using the food as a political tool to topple the Government," Minister Made said.
He said the WFP executive director responded by saying all their food aid should be distributed through Government structures.
"The position of the WFP after the meeting is that all the food that is brought into the country will be distributed through Government structures.
"In fact, she (Ms Sheeran) elaborated that a team was sent to Zimbabwe to work with the Government and this message should be clear to all the non-governmental organisations operating in Zimbabwe," Minister Made said.
He said NGOs should be made aware that food aid from United Nations agencies was under Government's custodianship.
Minister Made said the President had a series of meetings with the heads of FAO, the WFP and other agencies and it was agreed that the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development was empowered to monitor food assistance distribution.
"During the meeting with the President, the WFP head made it clear that there was no way the organisation would operate in the Southern Africa Development Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa without the input of Zimbabwe."
Minister Made said some of the issues raised in the meeting centred on the growing number of people being affected by hunger in the world, with the figure nearing the one billion mark.
According to FAO projections, the number of people who will be affected by hunger by 2050 will be about 9,1 billion.
FAO has called on governments to find ways of boosting food production by over 70 percent to avert the crisis.
Other issues President Mugabe raised were about unfair international trade practices and the need to empower smallholder farmers.
"It was also agreed that more support was supposed to be extended to women who were the major producers of food in most parts of the country.
"There were discussions to step up irrigation of crops because of challenges brought about by climate change," Minister Made said.
In his address to the summit on Tuesday, President Mugabe -- who is the Head of State and Government as well as Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces -- said his administration had done a number of things to avert hunger and ensure food security at household and national levels.
Besides embarking on a successful land reform programme, Government has assisted farmers with concessionary loans to buy farming inputs and machinery.
The President is expected back home today.
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What a stupid comment from a very confused white Rhodesian. He is trying to support an undemocratic Rhodesia that lacked freedom of movement, freedom of political expression, freedom to disagree. You are luck to be on AllAfrica blog because you are allowed to say your stupid outdated and racists Rhodesia.
You still can run your undemocratic Rhodesia on the internet, but not in Zimbabwe!!! You are full of idiotic spoil system of Rhodesia. There is no Rhodesia in Zimbabwe!! You still do not get it!!! There are no white people activily farming in Zimbabwe. Certainly the Modern Zimbabwean is being fed by black farmers not white farmers!!!
You are a totally idiot, and honestly you do not belong on this blog, but on white racists blogs. You must be a bitter Rhodesia whiteman who probably is on the British "give out system" . You must be one of the Rhodesians I met in the UK, useless and not understood by Britons!!
"undemocratic Rhodesia that lacked freedom of movement, freedom of political expression, freedom to disagree"
whats changed?
Krjs120, A lot has changed in Zimbabwe from the old undemocratic Rhodesia. First, we have Black military commanders, before non-existed. We have black parliamentary members from all political parties. All races are allowed to vote and are represented in Parliament. Blacks candidates were not allowed in Rhodesian systems. There are now a number of black commercial farmers. Black Business people control the commerce of Zimbabwe. Land distribusion now favor native people, before Zimbabwe, it favoured whites!
There is a Black professional class that functions well,.More black Doctors, Engineers, Professors, Miners, Industrial business leaders, Tourism operators, teachers. Being a Director of a major company, does not mean white any more! Zimbabwe is a member of the African community (AU) and SADC. Black Crickit players represent Zimbabwe. The Bishop of Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare are not anglo white. Freedom of Press is there. Newspapers are now owned by local black people. education has increased for the majority.
Krjs120, I did not know you were a revisionist!!
This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.
Don’t politicize food aid?
Remember when the whites were in control, Rhodesia was the jewel of Africa, everyone was well fed and the country exported food.
Then the Africans took over. The country is in ruin, people are starving to death, infrastructure is in complete chaos.
Will the monkey ever learn?
We whites are just better at running things. Let us take charge. We’ll bring back Zimbabwe to the grander of what Rhodesia once was. You will have food, you will have roads and you’ll be free of the tyranny of your African comrade Mugabe.