US embassy cable - 03HARARE293

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000293 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA FOR HAJJAR, KHANDAGLE AND MARX 
DCHA/FFP FOR LANDIS, BRAUSE, SKORIC AND PETERSEN 
AFR/SA FOR POE, FORT AND COPSON 
AFR/SD FOR ISALROW AND WHELAN 
GENEVA PLEASE PASS TO UNOCHA, IFRC 
STATE FOR AF/S DELISI AND RAYNOR 
NAIROBI FOR DCHA/OFDA/ARO RILEY, MYER AND SMITH 
REDSO/ESA/FFP FOR DEPREZ AND PINZINO 
NSC FOR DWORKIN 
PRETORIA FOR USAID/DCHA/FFP FOR DISKIN 
DCHA/OFDA FOR BRYAN AND FAS FOR HELM 
ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, US, ZI 
SUBJECT: WFP EXPANDS ZIMBABWE DISTRIBUTION DURING 
JANUARY 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  During January 2003, the World Food Programme 
(WFP) distributed 42,428 metric tons (MT) of food 
commodities, more than doubling the total distribution 
for December 2002.  The distribution reached 3.216 
million beneficiaries in 47 of 49 targeted districts. 
In February, WFP plans to target 4.251 million 
beneficiaries with 53,562 MT of food commodities.  WFP 
reports that it will have sufficient food commodities 
to meet distribution requirements through the end of 
March 2003 when the beneficiary population is 
projected to be 5.0 million.  WFP reports improved 
cooperation with the Government of Zimbabwe.  Zimbabwe 
is expected to open a second border crossing with 
South Africa in mid-February exclusively for 
humanitarian assistance.  Due to logistical 
constraints, it is increasingly unlikely that WFP will 
mill US-donated maize in Harare.  The United States 
remains the largest single donor to the WFP emergency 
operation in Zimbabwe.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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WFP DOUBLES DISTRIBUTION QUANITY IN JANUARY 
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2.  During January 2003, WFP and its implementing 
partners (IPs) distributed a total of 42,428 MT of 
food commodities for 3.216 million beneficiaries in 47 
of 49 targeted districts in Zimbabwe.  The January 
distribution was WFP's largest to date, and more than 
double December's 21,067 MT.  The current distribution 
was able to reach almost 1 million more beneficiaries 
than the December distribution.  The total tonnage 
distributed during January consisted of 32,932 MT 
maize, 1,436 MT vegetable oil, 3,437 MT beans, and 
3,843 MT corn-soy blend (CSB). 
 
3.  NOTE:  According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability 
Assessment Committee's December Report, there are 5.9 
million rural Zimbabweans in need of food assistance. 
WFP has assumed responsibility for covering food aid 
needs in 49 of Zimbabwe's 57 rural districts.  The 
total population in need in these 49 districts is 
about 5.1 million people.  Of the remaining eight 
districts, seven are covered by the USAID-funded 
Consortium for the Southern Africa Food Security 
Emergency (C-SAFE), and one is covered by Save the 
Children, United Kingdom.  The total population in 
need in these eight districts is about 0.8 million. 
END NOTE. 
 
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BENEFICIARY TARGETS AND PROJECTIONS 
----------------------------------- 
 
4.  In late December, WFP projected that the January 
distribution would reach 4.1 million beneficiaries 
with 54,334 MT of food commodities.  Therefore, for 
January, the WFP distribution was 12,000 MT and 
900,000 beneficiaries below its target.  WFP missed 
its target primarily because of a logistical 
bottleneck at the South Africa - Zimbabwe border 
crossing at Beitbridge.  Commodities arriving from 
South Africa were delayed due to insufficient customs 
clearance capacity during the 2002 holiday season.  In 
addition, during January, some of WFP's IPs continued 
to register beneficiaries for assistance.  In two 
districts, Gokwe North and Goromonzi, no distribution 
was possible because the IPs responsible for these two 
districts had not yet finished the registration 
process. 
 
5.  For February, WFP plans to target 83 percent of 
the total rural population in need, that is, 4.251 
million beneficiaries of the estimated 5.1 million.  A 
total of 53,562 MT of food commodities is projected to 
be distributed in all 49 of WFP's targeted districts. 
In March, WFP plans to target 5.0 million 
beneficiaries. 
 
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FOOD PIPELINE STRONG THROUGH END OF MARCH 
----------------------------------------- 
 
6.  WFP projects that it will have sufficient food 
commodities to provide a complete ration to all of its 
targeted beneficiaries through the end of March 2003. 
While WFP will retain the current ration of 10 
kilograms (kg) of cereals and 0.6 kg vegetable oil per 
person per month (pppm), they hope to raise the beans 
ration from 1.0 to 1.8 kg pppm in March.  By March, 
WFP intends to stop general distribution of CSB in 
favor of a program of targeted supplementary feeding 
in all districts for selected vulnerable groups 
implemented.  WFP is currently identifying additional 
partner organizations to implement the supplementary 
feeding program. 
7.  WFP's current emergency operation (EMOP) 10200.0 
ends at the end of March 2003.  The EMOP is expected 
to be extended by three months, until the end of June 
2003.  In May, in expectation of the maize harvest, 
WFP projects that it will cut its beneficiary 
population to 3.0 million from March's high of 5.0 
million.  Resources pledged to date indicate that 
WFP's cereal pipeline remains strong through the end 
of April, and the vegetable oil pipeline remains 
strong through the end of June.  WFP will require 
additional pledges of cereals, pulses, and CSB to meet 
beneficiary requirements through the end of June.  WFP 
projects a shortfall of some 50,000 MT of cereals, 
15,000 MT of pulses, and 20,000 MT CSB through the end 
of June 2003. 
 
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HUMANITARIAN BRIDGE TO OPEN AT BEITBRIDGE 
----------------------------------------- 
 
8.  WFP has reached agreement with the Government of 
South Africa and the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) to 
reopen the old bridge over the Limpopo River at the 
Beitbridge border crossing.  The bridge will be used 
for humanitarian purposes only and is expected to 
greatly reduce the time required for humanitarian 
assistance to cross the border. The bridge is expected 
to be opened late-February 2003 following completion 
of an access road being constructed by the GOZ. 
 
9.  WFP has deployed a full-time expatriate logistics 
officer to work at the Beitbridge border crossing. 
The logistics officer reports good cooperation with 
GOZ authorities and that average commercial crossing 
time has been reduced to ten hours from three days 
during December. 
 
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HARARE MILL UNLIKELY TO OPEN 
---------------------------- 
 
10.  Due to concerns about US-donated biotech maize, 
the GOZ continues to require WFP to mill the maize 
prior to distribution.  WFP is currently milling 
11,000 MT of US maize per month in Bulawayo and 8,000 
MT per month in South Africa.  Because of the higher 
cost of milling in South Africa, WFP has been 
negotiating with the GOZ to open additional milling 
capacity in Harare.  The Harare mill has the capacity 
to mill 23,000 MT of maize per month.  WFP reports 
that it has received preliminary authorization from 
GOZ to begin milling in Harare, but due to logistical 
capacity limitations, is unlikely to be able to 
utilize the Harare mill.  From mid-February, WFP will 
compete with the South African sugar industry for 
access to the closed rail wagons which the GOZ 
requires for the import of US-donated maize.  WFP 
expects that it will be not be able to source enough 
rail wagons to supply the Harare mill with a 
sufficient quantity of maize to enable it to reopen. 
With an existing milling capacity of 19,000 MT per 
month without the Harare mill, WFP expects to mill all 
remaining US-donated maize by the end of March. 
 
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CURRENT RESOURCES 
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11.  The Zimbabwe portion of WFP's EMOP 10200.0 for 
Southern Africa has been 69 percent resourced.  As of 
February 3, 2003, WFP had received commitments of 
311,759 MT of food commodities, valued at over $150 
million.  The total appeal under EMOP 10200.0 was for 
452,955 MT.  If WFP receives new commitments equal to 
the 141,196 MT shortfall, WFP reports that it will 
have sufficient commodities to meet beneficiary 
requirements through the end of June 2003.  The United 
States remains the largest single donor, pledging 
136,873 MT, valued at about $67 million, towards EMOP 
10200.0.  Since February 2002, the United States has 
committed a total of 165,493 MT of food commodities to 
WFP's two EMOPs 10200.0 and 10140.0, valued at more 
than $82 million. 
 
12.  WFP has accepted a pledge of 100,000 MT maize 
from South Africa for current food security crisis in 
Southern Africa.  WFP expects that approximately 
65,000 MT of this maize will be designated for 
Zimbabwe.  South Africa, however, is not able to 
provide the necessary funding to transport the 
commodities to Zimbabwe or deliver them to the final 
delivery points.  WFP is currently seeking donors to 
fund the estimated $10 million required to import the 
bulk maize.  If the South African contribution is 
realized, this will increase EMOP coverage to 83 
percent and largely satisfy any outstanding maize 
requirements through June 2003.  SULLIVAN