WFP seeks US$204 million for food aid in Zimbabwe

The UN World Food Programme today appealed for an additional US$204 million from the donor community.

This is to support more than four million Zimbabweans who face food shortages due to previous drought, chronic high inflation and Covid-19.

In Zimbabwe, WFP has been helping vulnerable members of the society with cash vochures for food stuffs.

Meanwhile, according to the beneficiaries the programme was to end this December.

However, the request by the WFP for additional funds would mean the programme would continue if the agency secures the US$204 million it is seeking.

Apparently, the Food Security Cluster (FSC), forecasted an acute food insecurity situation for the country from October – December 2020 as well as a projection for January – March 2021.

According to Cluster, currently, 2.61 million people (27% of the analysed population) in rural Zimbabwe are facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), while nearly 2.9 million people (29%) are in Stressed (IPC Phase 2).

The food insecurity is primarily due to shocks and hazards experienced in the country such as drought, reduced livelihood opportunities due to restrictions linked to COVID-19, pests and diseases, and high food prices.

FSC says in the absence of large-scale humanitarian food assistance programmes currently ongoing in the country, more households would likely be in a worse-off food security situation.

The Government and development partners are reaching large numbers of food insecure households (4.1 million beneficiaries in the current period and 6.7 million beneficiaries in the projected period).

The FSC adds that there is a genuine need for these efforts to continue to reach the most vulnerable households and to provide them with food, cash and livelihood assistance.

During the period from January – March 2021, which is the peak of the lean season, it is estimated that 35% of the rural population (3.38 million people) will be facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above).

That is an increase of eight percentage points compared to the 27% of the current analysis period.

-Zwnews