US embassy cable - 02HARARE2862

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002862 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA FOR HAJJAR, KHANDAGLE AND MARX, 
DCHA/FFP FOR LANDIS, BRAUSE, SKORIC AND PETERSEN, AFR/SA 
FOR FORT, POE AND COPSON, AFR/SD FOR ISALROW AND WHELAN 
STATE FOR AF/S DELISI AND RAYNOR 
NAIROBI FOR DCHA/OFDA/ARO FOR RILEY, MYER AND SMITH, 
REDSO/ESA/FFP FOR SENYKOFF 
GENEVA PLEASE PASS TO UNOCHA, IFRC 
PRETORIA FOR USAID/DCHA/FFP FOR DISKIN, DCHA/OFDA FOR BRY 
AND FAS FOR HELM 
ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, US, ZI 
SUBJECT: WFP RESUMES FOOD ASSISTANCE TO INSIZA 
 
REF: HARARE 02845 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The World Food Programme (WFP) resumed general food 
distributions to Insiza District on Monday, December 16, 
2002. The USAID Emergency Food for Peace Officer (FFPO) 
visited two villages in Insiza district on December 18, 
2002.  The FFPO monitored the distribution and verified 
that the food assistance was being distributed to its 
intended beneficiaries. Villagers in Insiza report that 
they have not yet planted due to insufficient rainfall a 
that they expect to remain dependent on WFP food 
assistance.  END SUMMARY. 
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WFP RESUMES DISTRIBUTION IN INSIZA 
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2.  The WFP implementing partner (IP), the Organization o 
Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP), resumed 
distribution of food assistance to the district of Insiza 
on December 16, 2002. WFP had suspended general 
distribution of food assistance following the seizure and 
improper distribution of 3.6 metric tons (MT) of food 
(consisting of maize) by pro-ZANU-PF supporters in the ru 
up to the October parliamentary bi-election in Insiza. 
After receiving assurances from the Government of Zimbabw 
(GOZ) that there would be no further manipulation of food 
assistance, WFP made the determination to resume 
distribution (see reftel).  This round of renewed general 
food distributions to Insiza are expected to be completed 
by December 21, 2002, with a total of 9,088 households 
receiving assistance.  A total of 640 MT food assistance 
including 530 MT of maize meal, is to be distributed. 
 
3.  The FFPO visited Insiza district on December 18, 2002 
to monitor the resumption of food distribution and to 
ensure that no manipulation of food assistance was taking 
place.  In the village of Lubuze, the FFPO observed the 
distribution of some 135 MT of maize meal, beans, and cor 
soy blend (CSB) to 1,115 beneficiary households.  Due to 
pipeline shortages, no vegetable oil was provided for 
distribution.  Because the October food distribution to 
Insiza was suspended before all wards received assistanc 
three final delivery points (FDPs), including Lubuze, hav 
not received WFP food assistance distribution since 
September.  WFP made the determination to give these thr 
FDPs a double distribution during December.  Therefore, 
Lubuze, the beneficiaries were each receiving 20 kilogra 
(KG) maize meal, 2 kg beans, and 1 kg CSB.  According to 
WFP ration standards, each beneficiary household can 
receive food assistance for a maximum of five individual 
 Thus, a household with eight members receives the same 
allocation as a household with five members. 
 
4.  The actual distribution to the 1,115 households in t 
Lubuze catchment area was conducted by ORAP efficiently 
quickly.  Unfortunately, because 75 percent of the maize 
meal was delivered to the FDP several hours late, most o 
                                          . 
 
the beneficiaries were forced to wait much of the day or 
the distribution to begin.  ORP conducted group 
distributions, whereby households with five or more 
beneficiaries were separated into groups of ten.  Each 
group was then allocated twenty 50 KG 
 sacks of maize mea 
two 50 KG sacks of beans, and two 25 KG bags of CSB.  The 
actual allocation to each individual household was 
conducted by each group.  Use of the group distribution 
method greatly reduced the time needed for individual 
distributions.  Beneficiaries with fewer than five family 
members received individual distributions. 
 
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GMB FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT 
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5.  The FFPO conducted two informal focus group interview 
with the waiting beneficiaries in Lubuze and a household 
survey in the neighboring ward of Sidzibe.  These groups 
reported that there had been no government maize 
distributions through the Zimbabwe Grain Marketing Board 
(GMB) since the October bi-election.  In order to receiv 
GMB maize distributions, both groups and the individual 
household reported that they registered for the GMB 
distributions with their village heads, and then 
distribution was made on a first-come, first-served basi 
to those who had the money to buy.  They also reported t 
the maize distributed by GMB only covered about 20 perce 
of the households.  Upon being asked directly whether th 
had been any political manipulation of the GMB maize, al 
responded that there had not been.  They reported that t 
GMB controlled price during the October distribution was 
500 Zimbabwean dollars per 50 KG sack of maize.  The 
current local (black) market price of maize meal was 
reported as 1,600 Zimbabwean dollars for 20 kg, which is 
much lower than in other districts, where 20 kg can run 
high as 4,000 Zimbabwean dollars. 
 
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CONTINUED DROUGHT UNDERMINES FOOD SECURITY 
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6.  The villagers reported that there had not been any 
rains in almost two months.  While driving through Insiz 
district, the FFPO noted that there was very little grou 
vegetation and that most fields had not yet been planted 
The few cattle seen walking through the villages were 
noticeably thin, with their ribs very pronounced.  No on 
in either focus group reported that they had planted yet 
this year due to the lack of rain.  Everyone reported th 
they had received seed maize from the GMB during October 
and had just received sorghum and cow pea distributions 
from World Vision.  The villagers reported that if rains 
begin, they would still be able to plant through the end 
January.  All villagers expected that they would remain 
dependent on food assistance from WFP. 
 
7.  The villagers reported that cattle were dying at an 
alarming rate due to lack of food.  All villagers that t 
FFPO spoke with reported that they had each lost cattle, 
and that as many as 20 per day were dying throughout the 
neighboring wards. They also reported that the sales pri 
of the cattle had dropped dramatically, to about 10,000 
Zimbabwean dollars, down from about 80,000, because the 
cattle were so thin and wasted. WHITEHEAD