happiness Chikwanha Masvingo Bureau
Hunger is wreaking havoc in Chivi with nearly 40 000 villagers in urgent need of food aid to avert starvation.The food shortages are more acute in Madyangove communal lands and villagers are appealing to Government and donors for assistance. The villagers say food distributed under Government’s grain loan scheme is inadequate.
Chivi district administrator Mr Bernard Hadzirabwi said the situation was bad.
He said villagers were now pinning their hopes on the World Food Programme that has pledged to assist. “The food situation is very precarious here to say the least. The situation is very bad especially in the Madyangove area where people have no food after waiting for assistance for too long. Hunger is very extreme and nearly 40 000 villagers urgently require food assistance if we are to avoid starvation in the entire Chivi district,’’he said.
Mr Hadzirabwi said they hope the World Food Programme would start food relief operations in the district soon.
“The move would greatly ease the acute food shortages but the problem is that we do not know when the World Food Programme is going to start food distribution. We hope it is going to be soon before the situation really gets worse,’’he said.
Food being distributed under the grain loan scheme is insufficient and villagers do not have money to buy maize.
Online Reporter