United Nations (UN) resident co-ordinator Bishow Parajuli has called on the government to review its land policies to allow farmers to develop their allocated land including installation of irrigation systems as a long-term measure to improve food security in the country.<\/p>\n
Parajuli\u2019s calls come at a time there has been policy inconsistency and alleged corruption in the agricultural sector with some farmers failing to implement major improvements on their land fearing eviction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith food insecurity in the country, the situation is moving from a crisis to an emergency. We can provide food, but that is a short-term. As a long-term<\/p>\n
measure, there is need for the establishment of irrigation schemes,\u201d the UN resident co-ordinator told a Press briefing on the sidelines of a 2018 high-level
\nZimbabwe UN Development Assistant Framework (Zundaf) annual review and planning meeting in Harare yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolicies should also be reviewed for land owners to feel comfortable to invest on their lands. Zimbabwe has been a granary for southern Africa and it can go
\nback (to that past glory).\u201d<\/p>\n
Parajuli said the UN would next week launch a humanitarian appeal to help those in need of food aid.<\/p>\n
Addressing the gathering, Parajuli said Zundaf, which is a partnership framework between the government and the UN, is UN Zimbabwe\u2019s collective offer of
\nsupport in accelerating progress towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing the launch of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) last October and the government\u2019s intention to prepare a five-year National Development Plan 2021-2025, the government and the UN jointly decided to extend the current Zundaf (programme) by one year, until 2021. This would allow for the new UN
\nstrategic framework to be fully aligned in substance to the new national development priorities as articulated in the new National Development Plan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The UN boss said under the current Zundaf, the UN together with its partners have been delivering over US$400 million annually through various development
\nprojects and programmes to support government\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cUN\u2019s integrated support spans from food and nutrition security; gender equality; HIV and Aids; poverty reduction and value addition; public administration and
\ngovernance; and social services and protection,\u201d Parajuli said.<\/p>\n
He said the UN support was taking a longer-term approach to socio-economic transformation and poverty reduction, through accelerating reform measures,
\nincluding anti-corruption efforts as articulated in the country\u2019s Vision 2030 and TSP.
\nSpeaking at the same event, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Justin Mupamhanga said Zundaf was driving the government\u2019s
\nprogress and performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt guides us on how the economy is going to be re-aligned. Also to improve irrigation systems and to support agriculture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The United Kingdom Department of International Development-Zimbabwe and Southern Africa head Annabel Gerry said there was need to improve transparency in the
\nagricultural sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the issue of transparency, we need to have a behavioural change on that; such data as how much funds we have used. We need to have knowledge on supplies
\nand pricing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
United Nations (UN) resident co-ordinator Bishow Parajuli has called on the government to review its land policies to allow farmers to develop their allocated land including installation of irrigation systems as a long-term measure to improve food security in the country. Parajuli\u2019s calls come at a time there has been policy inconsistency and alleged corruption […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[128,332,439,348],"class_list":{"0":"post-11880","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-community","9":"tag-community","10":"tag-south-africa","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-un"},"yoast_head":"\n