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As bread prices soar, Zimbabweans forgo key part of diet

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BY FORTUNE MOYO

Sithethile Nkomo’s children are too young to understand why their mother no longer sends them off to school with the usual bread and butter in their lunchboxes.

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Nkomo’s daughters, ages three and five, are used to eating bread for breakfast, then again for lunch at school, and as a snack when they return home in the afternoon.

Now the single mom packs green mealies, or corn on the cob, and amakhomane, a protein-rich legume with a nutty flavour.

While this provides a healthy alternative, her children miss the bread they are used to eating every day, and Nkomo worries they are not getting all the essential nutrients.

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“Bread has become expensive, and the price keeps increasing,” says Nkomo, who works in a grocery store selling the bread she can no longer afford to buy every day.

“When I do not have flour to bake buns, I cook mealies and amakhomane.”

Already recovering from a hike in food prices and limited access to everyday staples due to transportation difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic, Zimbabweans are now suffering the effects of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, which has halted wheat exports out of two countries once ranked among the world’s biggest exporters of the grain.

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The catastrophic strain on the supply chain is forcing many to reduce their food intake in a country where 2.4 million people living in urban areas had limited food access prior to the conflict.

The high demand for bread in Zimbabwe has elevated wheat to the second most important crop in the land-locked country, after maize, or corn, with more than 400,000 metric tons of wheat consumed each year.

Zimbabwe was once considered the breadbasket of Africa for its rich agricultural landscape, but a recent rise in its dependency on imported goods has slowly erased the country’s self-sufficiency.

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Now authorities are considering ways to bolster its production of food, particularly wheat.

In 2019, Hilal Elver, then the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food, urged the government to “take the necessary measures to reduce the country’s dependence on imported food … to ensure the country’s self-sufficiency” after finding that more than 60 percent of the population was food insecure.

At the time, the UN said Zimbabwe was on the “brink of [a] man-made starvation,” with Elver citing high unemployment, recurrent droughts and severe price instabilities as factors in the crisis.

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Three years later, the conflict in Ukraine has pushed prices beyond affordability.

Nkomo used to buy a loaf of bread, sometimes two, every day to feed her family, but with the price more than doubling in recent months, she can now buy a loaf only two, sometimes three, times a week.

The energetic mom whose smile never fades works 16-hour days at the grocery store and supplements her income with a hairdressing business she runs from her home, providing her with a monthly income of 20,000 Zimbabwean dollars (ZWL) to 22,000 ZWL ($55 to $60). Buying a loaf every day would consume half her monthly income.

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She would typically sell 40 to 50 loaves each day at the grocery store, but lately only half that number are leaving the shelves. Store owner Oswald Kasi says bread was one of his fastest moving products.

“The increase in the cost of bread and flour has affected my sales,” says Kasi, who has reduced the number of loaves he orders due to dwindling demand.

Families are forced to seek cheaper alternatives to replace their daily bread, and they’re not always popular.

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“Although my children prefer bread, mealies and amakhomane last two to three days while a loaf of bread does not last 24 hours,” says Nkomo, who now favors buying a two kilogramme (4.4-pound) bag of flour for US$2 and making buns, a cheaper option that allows her to stretch the bread supply for her family.

Flour-based foods provide essential nutrition.

Fortifying wheat flour with vitamins A and B, folic acid, iron and zinc became compulsory in Zimbabwe in 2016 to address major vitamin deficiencies found in children ages six months to five years.

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Fungai Mvura, Hwange medical officer under the Ministry of Health and Child Care, says the absence or reduction of bread in people’s diets will have consequences.

“Bread is part of carbohydrates, which is the main source of energy,” Mvura says.

“In the long run, cutting down on such products may lead to weight loss, not in the form of fats but loss of calories found in carbohydrates.”

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Ukraine is Zimbabwe’s third-biggest supplier of wheat behind South Africa and Latvia, but the stress on the supply chain is forcing officials to consider other options.

“Zimbabwe imports about 130,000 tons of wheat every year to cover the deficit,” says Tafadzwa Musarara, chairman of the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe.

“The Russia-Ukraine war has worsened the situation, and there is a need for us to come up with ways of being self-sufficient.”

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Anxious Jongwe Masuka, the minister of lands, agriculture, fisheries, water, climate and rural resettlement, says the government is taking steps toward self-sufficiency.

“This year our goal is to make sure that we increase the number of farmers planting wheat and also increase hectarage,” Masuka says.

“We may need around 75,000 hectares to have enough wheat in the country.”

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He says he believes this number is achievable as the country has 65,000 hectares available to grow wheat.

The government confirmed its 75,000-hectare target in a statement released in March announcing an investment of more than $9 million for its Presidential Winter Wheat Programme, which includes providing wheat seeds, fertilizers and machinery for farmers to help the government achieve its goal.

Michael Nyabadza, who for the past five years has grown wheat in Makoni, a district in northeastern Zimbabwe, is one farmer who has benefited from this programme.

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“I started with 40 hectares, and I increased to 150 hectares last year, which gives me between  seven and eight tonnes of wheat,” says the 66-year-old farmer, who received government assistance in the form of additional seeds and fertilizer to increase his yield.

Nyabadza believes it’s possible for Zimbabwe to be self-sufficient in wheat production, but this goal is not dependent only on a cash injection.

“This year, we got too much rain late into the season, so our maize did not dry early enough for us to remove and free the land for more wheat space,” he says.

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“That is how weather has disrupted cropping operations.”

Meanwhile, Zimbabweans like Nkomo can only wait and hope the government’s initiatives pay off.

Each day Nkomo worries her children are not getting the sustenance they need to thrive.“I feel like I am depriving them of something they are used to,” she says. “It’s an important part of their diet.” – Global Press Journal

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In the community

Crocodile attacks claim 9 lives, injure 11

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A surge in crocodile attacks has left a trail of death and destruction in Zimbabwe, with 9 fatalities and 11 injuries reported in the last two months.

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According to a statement released by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), 49 human-crocodile conflict cases were recorded during the same period, resulting in the loss of 44 cattle and 60 goats.

The Mid-Zambezi region, which includes Lake Kariba, Angwa River, and Hunyani River, was the hardest hit, with 19 cases reported. The Central region recorded 14 cases, while 16 cases were reported in other areas, including Matopo, Harare, North-West Matabeleland, and South-East Low-veld.

ZimParks has urged communities to exercise extreme caution, especially around water bodies, during the current rain season. The authority has advised communities to ensure that livestock and children are not left unattended near rivers or lakes, and to take precautions when engaging in water activities such as fishing, swimming, and domestic chores.

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To mitigate the situation, ZimParks is working closely with local authorities and conservation partners to raise public awareness and promote safety practices. The authority has emphasized its commitment to finding a balance between ensuring public safety and conserving wildlife.

As the situation continues to unfold, ZimParks has appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to report any crocodile sightings or attacks to the authorities.

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Nkayi

Nkayi man sentenced to 20 years for murdering patron

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BY STAFF REPORTER

In a High Court circuit sitting in Hwange, a 23-year-old man from Gwelutshena was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder.

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Mtabisi Ndimande was convicted of killing a 39-year-old man in a brutal axe attack that occurred on August 5, 2024, at DZ Sports Bar in Inyathi.

The court heard that Ndimande had been drinking beer with the deceased when an argument ensued.

Despite intervention from a security guard, Ndimande pulled out an axe and struck the deceased on the head.

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The blow caused the deceased to collapse, while the axe remained embedded in his head. The offender then removed the axe and walked away.

The deceased bled profusely and was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 6, 2024.

The police responded to the scene and recovered the axe.

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Hwange

Drugs causing mayhem in Victoria Falls

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The scourge of drugs and substance abuse is tearing families apart in the city of Victoria Falls as young people resort to dangerous substances to cope with mounting economic problems.

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Victoria Falls, like most urban areas in Zimbabwe, is battling against a surge in cases of drugs and substance abuse, which has seen the government launching various programmes to curb the crisis.

Eslina Sibanda, a Mkhosana resident whose son was forced to drop out of college due to drug addiction, narrated her heart-rending ordeal in an interview with NewsHub.

“He was a bright student, but then he started experimenting with mbanje and other substances,” Sibanda said.

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“Before we knew it, he was hooked. We tried to get him help, but it was too late.

“He dropped out of college and he now struggles to find a job.”

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, approximately 750 000 people in Zimbabwe use cannabis, while 150 000 use other illicit drugs.

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The same report noted that 14.6 percent of males and 5.6 percent of females aged between 15 and 65 years engage in hazardous or harmful drinking.

In a dramatic event that gripped Victoria Falls last November, 82 year-old Paul Siangapi was forced to take his son, Wonder, to court after he attempted to stab a family member in a drug-fuelled rage.

Siangapi pleaded with the magistrate to send his 40year-old son to jail for years, saying after the death of his mother, almost a decade ago, he started smoking cannabis (mbanje) and abusing alcohol.

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He said Wonder became abusive even to his grandchildren as a result of drug abuse.

The magistrate subsequently ruled that he must be referred to the Mlondolozi Mental Health Prison in Bulawayo where he is being treated for his addiction together with seven others from Victoria Falls who were facing charges of committing offences under the influence of drugs.

Siangapi told News Hub from his Chinotimba home that his life had become hell on earth because of his son’s drugs problem.

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“He is ok there (in prison),” Siangapi said. “I was always running away from him. He would lock the gate, deprive me of food and, at times, l would sleep in the car outside the gate because of him.”

On 18 February, Information minister, Jenfan Muswere, said the police had arrested 9, 527  people and dismantled 79 illegal drug bases as part of a countrywide crackdown on drug and substance abuse between 1 September 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Muswere told a post-Cabinet briefing that 616 drug suppliers and 8 911 drug users had been arrested during the operation.

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The government has also established three new rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in Victoria Falls, Harare and Kwekwe.

The ministry of Health and Child Care notes that substance abuse is a major contributor to mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

Mental health experts say a combination of factors that include poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and healthcare drive young people into drugs and substance abuse.

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“Young people are turning to substances as a way to cope with the stress and uncertainty of their lives,” said Silvester Nyoni, a local psychologist. “We need to address the root causes of this crisis, rather than just treating the symptoms.”

Rufaro Nyakwende, a social worker at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, said the impact of substance abuse was far-reaching as affected not only individuals, but also families, communities, and the economy.

“Substance abuse is leading to tracking substance use,” Nyakwende said.

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“At the end of the day, people have mental issues such as depression, anxiety, and this leads to interest in another driver of tracking substance use, which is peer pressure. A lot of children experience peer pressure through interactions, observation, learning, and playing.

“People may admire the effects of someone using drugs and end up using those drugs themselves. This is another driver of tracking substance use. When they continue using drugs, it also leads to mental health issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and this is what leads to a high risk of suicide,” added Nyakwende.

She said the community also exerts too much pressure on young people.

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“There’s also the issue of social pressures. The community expects certain things from people,” Nyakwende added.

“For instance, by a certain age, you’re expected to have achieved certain milestones, such as having a proper job and a family.

“But when you fail to meet these expectations, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, which can contribute to higher rates of suicide.”

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The government launched the National Substance Abuse Policy in 2020 as one of the ways to deal with the scourge.

For Nyoni, however, more needs to be done to provide support and resources for those struggling with addiction.

“We need to increase funding for treatment centres, counselling services, and support groups,” he said.

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“We also need to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and provide education and job training programs for young people.”

SOURCE: NEWS HUB

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