Gokwe Food System Study Report

Inadequacies in food systems are causing serious problems across the globe. They take the form of
declining nutrition and health, environmental degradation and rising greenhouse gas emissions that
accelerate global warming. Farmers and agricultural workers are increasingly exploited and
marginalized, reinforcing their vulnerability and economic inequality. Welthungerhilfe is an independent aid agency in Germany that is campaigning for “Zero Hunger by 2030”. For more than 20 years it has been implementing projects for improved livelihoods, food and nutrition security and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in Gokwe North and South districts in Zimbabwe’s Midlands province. The agency has conducted a rapid study of the food systems in urban and rural areas in the two districts to assist accelerated transformation towards a sustainable, inclusive and resilient food system. It is intended to initiate an iterative process to monitor and improve food system health.
The study objectives were to:
1. Map direct actors and regulators of the food system
2. Analyze drivers influencing the food system and their impacts
3. Understand how the food system responds to influences such as policies, climate change,
food loss and waste and food safety measures
4. Propose indicators to measure improvements towards a sustainable, resilient and inclusive
food system