Zimbabwe’s farming industry can only find one gear – reverse - and sadly for the people, no one in authority is applying the brake.
Food, or the lack of it, has been a serious issue in Zimbabwe for several years, but 2008 could be a crunch point.
A new report from US Aid predicts that this year’s maize crop will produce just under half of last year’s, with yields now the lowest on record.
Total cereal production will meet only 28 per cent of the country’s needs and the continued deterioration of Zimbabwe’s economy is making it increasingly difficult to respond without `significant international assistance’.
From this month onwards there are fears that food shortages will worsen in south and west districts, developing throughout the country in the following months.
Rain pain
What’s to blame? Too much rain in December and January and too little in February and March.
Shortages of fuel, fertiliser and money to support agriculture have also contributed.
This makes the work of humanitarian agencies in feeding about a third of the population all the more significant.
But political interference from the Mugabe regime is making that very difficult.
Tearfund’s Christian partners are facing extremely testing circumstances as the giving of aid has become politicised and in Zimbabwe that brings danger.
• Please pray for the work of our partners, that they have strength and resilience at this time.
• Pray that international agencies are allowed to operate without political hindrance.