Japan provides food assistance support for vulnerable people in Zimbabwe

Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter

The Government of Japan today provided a US$1.36 million (¥200,000,000) contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme that will help provide critical food assistance for vulnerable people in Zimbabwe.

Japan’s timely contribution, totalling 1 304 metric tonnes of cereals, which include Japanese rice, pulses and vegetable oil, will support food-insecure communities during the upcoming 2024/25 lean season from October this year to March next year— ensuring the most vulnerable families receive essential assistance in time.

Japanese ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Shinichi Yamanaka said his country is committed to supporting communities in need of emergency food assistance.

“I hope that this assistance will help vulnerable people to overcome the current crisis.”

Through the Lean Season Assistance, WFP complements the Government of Zimbabwe’s Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy, which aims to mitigate household food stock depletion, minimise harmful coping mechanisms, and prevent the most vulnerable people from falling deeper into food insecurity.

“We appreciate the generosity of the Government of Japan, as this donation will significantly contribute to our efforts in alleviating hunger and improving the lives of those most in need,” said Francesca Erdelmann, WFP’s Representative and Country Director.

“The coming lean season could see more people requiring food assistance due to the impact of El Niño. Japan’s contribution will go a long way to ensure we can help communities.”

The El Niño phenomenon will have significant consequences for food and nutrition security across the region. Communities affected will have lower harvests and fewer livelihood opportunities, culminating in a deeper and earlier 2024/2025 lean season.

Japan is a long-standing partner of WFP’s assistance in Zimbabwe.

Since 2019, Japan has contributed over US$25.5 million to WFP-supported food assistance and resilience building for vulnerable communities in the country.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.