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Assessment of Food Security in Zimababwe
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR ORAL REPLY - 08 SEPTEMBER 2004
QUESTION NO 26
STANDING OVER FROM 18 AUGUST 2004
MR WJ SEREMANE (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
(1) Whether the Government has done an assessment of
food security in Zimbabwe; if not, why not; if so, what
were the findings;
(2) Whether her department has been informed of the
Zimbabwean government's assessment of a bumper crop
in that country during the 2004-05 season; if not, what
is the position in this regard; if so, how does the
Zimbabwean assessment compare with (a) South Africa's
own assessment and (b) any other specified independent
assessments of Zimbabwe's food security;
(3) Whether her department has assessed the likelihood
of any influx of Zimbabwean refugees into this country
in the event of a food security crisis in Zimbabwe;
if not, why not; if so, (a) what were the findings and
(b) what action has been taken as a result? N487E
REPLY:
(1) The Government has not done any assessment of food
security in Zimbabwe. This is a matter that falls within
the competency of the Government of the Republic of
Zimbabwe, as a sovereign state. Furthermore, the Government
of South Africa did not receive a request from the Government
of Zimbabwe to assist in doing any food security assessment.
(2) The Department has not been informed of the Zimbabwean
government's assessment of a bumper crop in that country
during the 2004 - 2005 season. Furthermore, the Government
of Zimbabwe is under no obligation to inform the South
African government about the assessment of its crop.
However, the Government of Zimbabwe during its final
crop assessment for 2003-2004 announced that Zimbabwe
would be producing 2 million tonnes of maize well beyond
the national requirement of about 1.5 million tonnes.
(3) The Department of Foreign Affairs is not the line
function Department responsible for the assessment of
the influx of refugees in the country. However, Government
through the relevant line function department, Home
Affairs, is making an assessment of the inflow of refugees.
Furthermore, the Department has not assessed the likelihood
of any influx of Zimbabwean refugees into South Africa
in the event of a food security crisis, because the
Government of Zimbabwe has indicated that it would be
having sufficient food for local consumption. Consequently,
no food security crisis is foreseen.
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