Mutoko villagers shedding off donor dependency 

Source: Mutoko villagers shedding off donor dependency – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY LORRAINE MUROMO
EAGER to adapt to climate and economic shocks, villagers in Mutoko have embraced programmes that are assisting them to shed off donor dependency.

Early this year, the Global Fund Advocates Network urged African governments to increase health financing as one of the many ways to avoid too much reliance on donor funding.

Ward 3 councillor from Charehwa Village in Mutoko, Jasper Masango, told NewsDay that it was important that communities fend for themselves even after aid has been withdrawn from them.

Masango said he was happy with the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) interventions, which was promoting sustainability in communities.

“I am happy about the ZRBF project being a development partner not a donor. They give advice and knowledge and we are very sure that even after their departure, the communities will continue to benefit,” he said.

Masango said community ownership schemes were also an important tool of strengthening resilience through adaptive and absorptive capacities within communities.

District livestock specialist Muhle Kumbirai also noted: “In Mutoko district, we have development partners who are coming with a certain dimension which is different from what has been happening with other development partners.

“We now have Boshveld chickens, improved Boer goats and cattle fattening projects to supplement traditional crops that are resilient to adverse climatic conditions so when communities encounter shocks in the form of droughts, thunderstorms, hailstorms, they can hinge on other interventions.”

Meanwhile, communal farmers have been urged to embrace cattle fattening initiatives to boost the grade of their livestock for better financial returns.

“Cattle fattening is one of those interventions where we are looking to help consolidate livelihood activities and income generation within communities,” Kumbirai added.