THE World Food Programme (WFP) has indicated plans to rope in the private sector as an ally in furthering its developmental work in the country at the height of funding challenges.
This was revealed by WFP country director Barbra Clemens during a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony to integrate food security with health services between the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA and the latter in the capital last week.
The non-governmental organisations have been experiencing a crippling effect in funding following the pause in funding from the United States after President Donald Trump suspended funding for foreign aid early this year.
The situation has continued to be dire over the months leading to some of the organisations down-sizing or halting operations.
Addressing journalists after the signing of the MoU, Clemens said as an organisation, there was already progress in the build-up to collaboration with the private sector. She said at the recently held Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, the organisation had a side event where it solely focused on the private sector, which is relatively new to Zimbabwe.
“We have had many follow-up conversations with the private sector along the lines that we, as the UN agency, in assistance given to the government, recognise that we cannot do this alone.
“It is key to rope in the private sector, and one of the things that WFP is promoting is that we are not speaking to the private sector from a perspective of corporate social responsibility.
“If people are food insecure and mired in poverty and have social ills that they cannot provide for themselves, they also cannot support your private sector market,” Clemens said.
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She said the participation of the private sector was an investment in the communities providing their bread and butter.
“I think that message is beginning to reverberate with our private sector colleagues, so you will see much more collaboration.
“In the past with UN agencies, we talked about engaging the private sector. We do not always speak the language of the private sector and our systems kind of prevented us from taking that dialogue further but now with the issues of funding there have been more opportunities for us to engage with the private sector and I see that as a huge opportunity.”
In 2023, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe urged non-governmental organisations to venture into income-generating projects to remain viable instead of depending on donations.
