US govt channels US$10 mill for food prog in Zim

Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter

THE United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has released US$10 million towards Zimbabwe’s hunger alleviation programme in the urban areas.

The fund will be managed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and will be directed at people in the urban areas that have been grossly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the WFP revealed that the fund is expected to cater for 100 000 people in the country.

“The contribution will assist almost 100 000 people with monthly cash transfers equivalent to US$13 each, enabling them to meet almost two-thirds of their daily food requirements. WFP is scaling up its urban assistance programme to deliver monthly cash transfers to at least 550,000 Zimbabweans in 20 of the country’s most food insecure urban areas,” reads part of the statement.

A September 2019 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) report said that more than 2.2 million people in cities and towns faced food insecurity.

Commenting on the recent aid, US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Brian Nichols said; “This additional funding underscores the strong commitment of the American people and Government to the people of Zimbabwe.”

WFP Zimbabwe Representative and Country Director, Mr Eddie Rowe said the contribution will help alleviate the suffering of a large number of people struggling due to the twin shocks of Covid-19 and economic challenges.