Search
  1. Home
  2. Southern Africa
  3. Zimbabwe

WFP to scale up operations as food need rises

[Zimbabwe] WFP food depot Obinna Anyadike/IRIN
    JOHANNESBURG

    With food needs expected to increase sharply over the next seven months in Zimbabwe, the World Food Programme (WFP) is to scale up its operations, the UN news service reported on Friday.

    "Last month, the WFP food aid programme reached rural populations in 31 districts - some 1.1 million beneficiaries - up from 22 districts in the post-harvest season in May. Assistance is expected to increase to cover 36 districts this month," the UN said.

    It is estimated that over five million people across Zimbabwe will require food aid this year. The acute food shortages have been attributed to ongoing drought conditions and the impact of the land reform programme on agricultural production.

    The UN also highlighted ongoing health concerns, noting the outbreak of a number of epidemics in the past 12 months. "It is apparent from such outbreaks that there is an urgent need to strengthen the extended programme of immunisation, through provision of adequate transport, fuel and vaccines to conduct mop-up vaccination campaigns," the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

    NGOs had secured funds to provide for some 590,000 vulnerable households. This assistance will include maize, small grains, and bean seeds.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join