#Makonde linde drivers

In addition, and to some extent, the government mandate for farmers to sell maize grain only to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and contractors and limiting non-GMB destined grain movements to 250 kg is limiting market supplies and trade flows. Atypically high and increasing transport costs are also limiting grain movements on the markets as well as putting pressure on prices. Market maize supplies are limited across the country specifically in Makonde and Hurungwe Districts in Mashonaland West Province, Gokwe South District in Midlands Province, key traditional source areas. Even in many typical high-production areas, households are abnormally purchasing maize and maize just three months after the harvest. Most households are relying on markets and other sources of food atypically early in August, compared to October/November in normal years. In August, the ZWL contracted against the US Dollar by 6 and 11 percent in the parallel and official markets, respectively.ДЇollowing the poor 2019 harvest, own-produced stocks for most poor households are exhausted.

#Makonde linde drivers

The high and increasing parallel market and official interbank exchange rates for foreign currency remain major drivers of the economic crisis, especially as most household incomes are in local currency (ZWL). Below average incomes and high agriculture input costs are anticipated to affect preparations for the 2019/20 agriculture season.ДЄs inflation continues to spike, the government suspended official annual inflation reports till February 2020 citing incompatible currency bases current RTGS Dollars against the previous US Dollar-base. This is negatively affecting many livelihood activities as well as livestock body conditions. Additionally, water challenges are worsening across most areas. Terms of trade for both cash and in-kind payments of labor or bartering are unfavorable for poor households.

Livelihoods across the country remain very constrained and households have limited opportunities to participate in both formal and informal markets.

Fuel price increases on nearly a weekly basis are driving up transport and basic commodity costs. Additionally, alternative mobile money transfers are up to 40 percent above cash prices. Additionally, increased bond note and coin shortages are limiting household market access. Maize grain and maize meal prices continue to increase in local currency terms, putting staple foods out of reach of most poor households.

Market supplies are significantly below average, specifically for maize grain, across the country.

In early August, the government declared the 2018/19 drought and cropping season вЂњa State of National DisasterвЂќ and appealed for international humanitarian assistance. Starting in September/October, an atypically high number of people in surplus-producing areas are anticipated to experience Crisis (IPC Phase 3). This is mainly the result of the poor 2019 harvests and deteriorating macroeconomic conditions.

Most typical deficit-producing areas continue to be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) as poor households have little to no food stocks and are reliant on market purchases for food with limited purchasing power.

It will вЂњdeteriorate to a point where they need foreign aid.вЂќ вЂњThe drought has just exacerbated the situation,вЂќ said Jee-A van der Linde, an economist at NKC African Economicsin Paarl, South Africa. Zimbabwe Drought Risks Famine and Climate Change Makes It Worse

Zimbabwe is already struggling to find sufficient foreign exchange to fund imports of fuel and wheat. ThatвЂ™s slashed spending power in a country where most goods are imported. dollar was dropped in February, the local currency has slumped to 13.85 to the dollar, making it the worldвЂ™s worst performer. One of the strongest-ever cyclones in the southern hemisphere also destroyed crops in March and a deepening economic crisis has limited the governmentвЂ™s ability to address the looming shortfalls.

The government has already declared a state of disaster because of the drought, which has decimated harvests.

In the past, вЂњin urban areas the alarm bells were not ringing.вЂќ вЂњYou will have a lot more people hungry in Zimbabwe than ever before,вЂќ he said. This time, 3 million of the 8.5 million people at risk of food insecurity are in cities, said Eddie Rowe, the WFPвЂ™s country director in Zimbabwe. While Zimbabwe has experienced intermittent food shortages for the last two decades, the problem has mostly been limited to rural areas. The southern African nation will probably run out of corn - its staple food - by January and about three out of five Zimbabweans wonвЂ™t have enough to eat, according to the United Nations World Food Programme. A drought, cyclone-induced floods and an economic collapse have left Zimbabwe on the verge of its worst-ever famine.