Gutu district, located in Masvingo district is predominantly located in semi-arid region which experiences erratic and uneven rainfall patterns. Coupled with Cylone Idai that destroyed people’s livelihoods, infrastructure, fields, livestock, food reserves many families were left in need of humanitarian assistance.
In an effort to increase resilience among populations affected by macroeconomic difficulties, Cyclone Idai and severe drought DAPP through funding from the Danish Emergency Relief Fund is implementing the Early Action program targeting 500 vulnerable and food-insecure households in wards 8 and 9 of Gutu District, Masvingo .
Project beneficiaries who include female headed households, people living with disability, elderly, pregnant and lactating women and the chronically ill received small livestock (chickens and goats ) as part of assets restoration. This will go a long way in improving food and nutritional security and poverty alleviation. Programs Coodinator Petros Muzuva says “Small livestock play an important role in rebuilding long term sources of incomes for families. The boschveld chickens and goats which are drought-tolerant breeds that are best suited for this region are fast multiplying.” He added that “Farmers will be supported to better look after the animals through provision of diseases prevention drugs, capacity building in improved animal husbandry practices, livestock breeding and management”
The early action approaches are also aiming to improve access to sufficient safe and clean water sources for people and their livestock through borehole rehabilitation and construction of water pens for livestock. This will ensure curbing of the spread of water –borne, bacterial and parasitic infections among people and their animals.
The project will run from March 2020 to August 2020