The 2022 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment (ZIMVAC) 

The 2022 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment (ZIMVAC) report projected 3.8 million rural individuals to be food insecure at the height of the 2022/23 lean season in Zimbabwe. This figure represents approximately a 9.8% change from the 5-year average, and a 29.8% increase from the 2021/22 consumption year[1]. This is mainly a result of a high shock exposure index, with many households reporting to have been exposed to several shocks. The main shocks to livelihoods were drought, intra-seasonal dry spells, floods, water logging, crop and livestock diseases, plus the longer-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. These reduced the coping capacity of many vulnerable households. The intra-seasonal dry spell experienced in February to March of 2022, had devastating impacts on agricultural production, especially in the non-surplus producing areas of Zimbabwe. FEWSNET projects an expansion of Phase 3 IPC outcomes by January 2023 for much of the southern parts of the country as well as pockets in the northern surplus producing districts of the country.[2] Finally, the unfavourable macro-economic conditions have further eroded the buying power of many households resulting in impaired ability to meet basic household needs.

The Food Deficit Mitigation Programme (FDMP) will therefore target all 3.8 million individuals for the 2022/23 consumption year. The FDMP will combine two pipelines – one from the Government of Zimbabwe and another from the World Food Programme.

Key Drivers:

• Poor rains: Despite a favourable seasonal outlook at the beginning of the season, intra-seasonal dry spells affected agriculture production.

• High food prices: The prices of basic commodities continued to rise beyond the reach of many vulnerable households.

• Covid-19: Many households are still affected by the longer-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the livelihoods of vulnerable households.

[1] SADC: Synthesis report on the state of food security and vulnerability in Southern Africa, 2022

[2] https://fews.net/southern-africa/zimbabwe