Three million Zimbabweans need food aid this year

Nearly three million Zimbabweans will need food aid this year according to the World Food Programme.

It says in its latest report that some 2.8 million Zimbabweans will need drought relief this year up to December. This is an increase of 1.3 million people from last year.

The government has declared a State of Disaster and says it needs $1.5 billion to feed the people.

The WFP says it has so far received $23.5 million from the United States Agency for International Development, $4.25 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, $514 000 from the Government of Switzerland, 30 000 tonnes of maize from the Government of Zimbabwe and $4.4 million of its owns funds.

The government has assured the nation that it will mobilize enough food and no one will starve.

“The Ministry of Agriculture has the responsibility of taking care of the people in the country especially if there is a drought situation. We are also encouraged to give permits to encourage maize to be imported so that nobody dies of hunger in Zimbabwe. We have enough stock to feed the people of Zimbabwe,” Deputy Minister of Agriculture Paddy Zhanda told the Senate last week.

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