The Catholic Church and development in the context of El Nino- induced drought in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This is a theoretical paper that investigates, through the praxis cycle, the role of the Catholic Church in responding to El Nino- induced drought. The first objective of this article emanates from the open call by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) to the whole nation expressed in the Scripture text “You give them something to eat yourselves” (Mark 6: 37). Acknowledging the effects of El Nino in the current agricultural season, the Bishops are calling on everyone to unite in order to assist in feeding millions of hungry people in this country as a result of the devastating effects of El Nino. Scriptures assist the Church to inform and teach the people about their responsibility in helping the less fortunate members of our community. The second objective is how the Church pursues agricultural development and strategies to respond to future challenges. The Church takes the responsibility of initiating practical ways of implementing agricultural strategies through various agencies to respond to the El Nino as well as future challenges of food security.  The two aspects were mentioned in the Statement on Drought by ZCBC on 4^th April 2024. The guiding question in this research is: How can the Church respond to the devastating effects of El Nino- induced drought? Through analysis of the effects of El Nino, the Church strives to empower communities to take action.