Zim gets R209m for food

2003-08-13 18:26

Harare - A R209.3m donation from the European Commission to help alleviate widespread hunger in Zimbabwe could not have come at a more critical time, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday.

"Without it food aid supplies for Zimbabwe would have run out by the end of this month," Kevin Farrell, WFP country director in Zimbabwe, said in a statement.

The contribution would enable the WFP to fast-track the purchase of about 60 000 tons of maize in the region, he said.

About 3.3m Zimbabweans were in urgent need of food aid, according to a recent assessment by the WFP and another UN agency, the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

"By January 2004, that number is expected to jump to 5.5m," the statement said.

More and more people were arriving at rural food distribution points to beg for assistance, it said.

"Due to scarce resources, WFP is forced to restrict its rations to the most vulnerable, many of whom live in households affected by HIV/Aids.

"People are so desperate for food that at some distribution sites, beneficiaries have been seen opening and eating uncooked rations on the spot."

Some reportedly did not have the strength to carry their food home. The shortage of maize, the national staple food, prompted many to take up illegal gold panning or to eat wild foods.

The WFP planned to be able to feed 1.4m people in rural areas of Zimbabwe.

"It also aims to expand its programme in urban areas, where food shortages have become acute."

The European Commission and European Union member states had contributed over almost R670m for the WFP's Zimbabwean operations last year, which enabled the agency to avert widespread starvation, Farrell said.

"The food security situation in Zimbabwe remains alarming and without continued international support, a significant proportion of the population remains at risk."

The WFP had recently launched an appeal to donors to raise R2.3bn to enable it to feed up to 6.5m people throughout southern Africa over the next 12 months. About two-thirds of this budget would go towards supporting the people of Zimbabwe, the statement said.

From July last year to June this year the WFP had distributed 323,000 tons of food to about five-million people in that country.

Farrell said: "WFP will continue to focus on the needs of the most vulnerable in Zimbabwe. However, food aid alone will not be enough to meet the needs of the entire population. Therefore, commercial imports need to be stepped up significantly in order to get basic foodstuffs into the market place."

- SAPA