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The registration process for urban residents eligible to receive monthly government cash allowances for purchasing mealie meal has commenced, announced Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo.
The initiative is guided by the findings of the Zimbabwe Livelihood Assessment Committee (ZimLAC).
Urban households facing food shortages due to various factors, including age or disability preventing work, will receive unconditional cash transfers.
Additionally, households lacking sufficient food but with able-bodied members will receive conditional cash transfers, provided they participate in public works programs.
Registration is slated to conclude within 21 days of program commencement, with benefit disbursements occurring concurrently.
The move follows President Mnangagwa’s declaration of a national disaster due to the El-Nino-induced drought.
The 2024 ZimLAC Urban Livelihood Assessment Report revealed that approximately 35 percent of the urban population, approximately 1.7 million people, face food insecurity, up from 29 percent recorded last year.
Minister Moyo outlined the “Cash for Cereals Urban Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy,” emphasizing the government’s commitment to address food insecurity in urban areas through cash transfers.
The registration process will be informed by ZimLAC data to ensure accurate beneficiary identification and minimize errors.
Beneficiaries can access their entitlements via EcoCash and NetOne shops or directly purchase food using mobile money platforms.
The initiative aims to ensure access to nutritious food for food-insecure urban households, including those headed by older persons, children, the chronically ill, persons with disabilities, and female-headed households with high dependency ratios.
It also seeks to mitigate the impact of drought and other shocks on non-labour-constrained households through public works and food-for-asset programs, fostering resilience in urban areas.
Minister Moyo stressed the importance of leveraging various data sources, including ZimLAC, district profiles, and poverty assessments, to inform the program effectively.
Conditional cash transfers will be tied to participation in public works programs for labor-endowed, food-poor households. ZCA
