WITH the government intensifying maize imports to cover the gap unill the next harvest, the United Nations food agency, the World Food Programme (WFP) says there is need for combined efforts to address Zimbabwe’s food shortages.
Zimbabwe is facing a food deficit following the El Nino induced drought which affected crop yields and resulted in loss of livestock in some parts of the country.
The government of Zimbabwe is already importing grain from other markets to ensure food-insecure households are assisted.
Speaking at a media briefing convened in Harare this Friday, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director, Eddie Rowe noted that through combined efforts, the country’s food situation will be addressed.
“We appreciate what the government is doing and that will go a long way to addressing the food requirements for Zimbabwe,” he said.
The United Nations food agency pledged to assist the country in addressing food requirements.
WFP Assistant Executive Director, Valerie Guarnieri said they will be importing 200 metric tonnes of food in the first six months of this year as they respond to the growing needs in the country“What we have seen so far is a food crisis that has exposed over 5 million families to food insecurity that requires emergency assistance,”
Zimbabwe is among Southern African countries that are battling the worst effects of climate change thereby negatively affecting expected yields as well as livestock. With the country requiring an estimated 800 000 tonnes of maize imports to cover the gap until the next harvest, the government has assured the nation that no one will starve.
