BY FIDELITY MHLANGA The Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for an average family of five people grew by 10% to $17 244 in August 2020, latest data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) has shown. In July, TCPL was pegged at $15 572. “The TCPL for an average of five persons stood at $17 244,07 in August 2020. This means that an average household required that much to purchase both food and non-food items for them not to be deemed poor. This represents an increase of 10,7% when compared to the July 2020 figure of $15 572,85,” ZimStat said. This comes as Zimbabwe’s year-on-year for the month of August eased to 761,02% from 837,53% reported in July. According to ZimStat, the August 2020 food poverty line (FPL) for an average of five persons in Zimbabwe stood at $7 210,99 representing an increase of 8,6 % when compared to the July 2020 figure of $6 642,98. FPL in August per person was $1 442,20, representing an increase of 8,6% over the July 2020 figure of $1 328,60. The TCPL for Zimbabwe stood at $3 448,81 per person in August 2020. This means that an individual required that much to purchase both non-food and food items as at August 2020 in order not to be deemed poor. This represents an increase of 10,7% when compared to the July 2020 figure of $3 114,57. “The poverty datum lines vary by province as prices vary from place to place. The TCPL for an average household in August 2020 ranged from $15 909 in Mashonaland Central province to $18 891 in Matabeleland North province. The differences are explained by differences in average prices in the provinces,” ZimStat said. Zimbabwe, which has the world’s second largest inflation rate after South America’s Venezuela, is currently going through its worst economic crisis since 2008 aggravated by runaway inflation, currency depreciation with about seven million food insecure citizens, according to the United Nations.