Harare | Thursday
THE US government is to give $20-million worth of food aid to feed some of the half a million Zimbabweans facing starvation, the US embassy in Harare said on Wednesday.
It said a total of 34 430 metric tons of food would be sent to feed around 170 000 people.
”This amount will meet the needs of approximately 170 000 vulnerable people in rural Zimbabwe during the next 12 months,” a statement from the embassy said.
The US food aid will be channelled to the starving villagers through the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) and World Vision International, an international non-governmental organisation.
The money will be used to buy the staple fortified maize meal.
Some 8 470 tons of the maize meal is already on its way to Zimbabwe from Tanzania and is expected in the country within two weeks.
”The US government is most pleased to be able to assist the people of Zimbabwe in this time of critical need,” said the embassy.
WFP says 558 000 people are at risk of starvation in Zimbabwe, normally a regional breadbasket.
Farmers say this April’s maize harvest will be minimal, after a sharp reduction last year resulting from disruptions to commercial farming under the land reforms and a drought. – Sapa