Foreword

• The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) successfully carried out the 8th Urban Livelihoods Assessment (ULA) in December 2020 under the overall coordination of the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC). This report provides updates on pertinent urban household livelihoods issues such as demographics, housing, education, health, nutrition, WASH, energy, social protection, food consumption patterns, food and income sources, income levels, expenditure patterns, debts, coping strategies, COVID-19, shocks, and food security.
• The survey was undertaken during a time when the country was continuing to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and was necessitated by the need to collect up-to-date food and nutrition security data to effectively support the planning and implementation of actions in a timely and responsive manner. The findings from the ULA will also go a long way in providing local insights into the full impact of the Corona Virus on food and nutrition security in urban areas in this country as the spread of the virus continues to evolve differently by continent and by country. In addition, the data will be of great use to Government, development partners, program planners, and communities in the recovery from the pandemic, providing timely information and helping monitor, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 and any similar future pandemics. Thematic areas covered in this report include the following: education, food, and income sources, income levels, expenditure patterns, and food security, among other issues. .