WFP to avail $80million towards food security

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
THE World Food Programme (WFP) will this year avail up to $80 million as part of its interventions to improve food security and boost nutrition in Zimbabwe.

In an interview on Tuesday, WFP representative and country director Mr Eddie Rowe said millions of Zimbabweans were in need of food aid.

Mr Rowe was at the National University and Science Technology (Nust) for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research and food security between WFP and the university in an effort to alleviate hunger and lessen vulnerability in rural communities. “We’re still assessing but if food needs are high, we’ll obviously increase resources and we’re looking at $70 to $80 million,” he said.

“The MoU signed between Nust and WFP is a complete transformation on how WFP operates in different countries. Zimbabwe is fortunate to be one of the six pilot countries that are now implementing the global transformation agenda, which is aligned to some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Mr Rowe said over 80 percent of Zimbabweans in rural areas depend on their own cultivation as their primary livelihood source making them vulnerable to hunger if no rainfall is received.

“The agricultural practice of these communal farmers is rain fed meaning that any climatic disruption will have a negative impact on availability of food. We have, therefore, made sure that we have the capacity to respond to emergencies as and when required,” he said.

“In Zimbabwe for example, we have a five-year strategic plan with about 13 activities making up the complete portfolio of our intervention in Zimbabwe. The thrust is around resilience. The major areas we’re working with include small holder farmers’ productivity, market access community asset creation and diversifying livelihoods.”

Mr Rowe said by 2021 WFP would be working in at least 20 districts in the country, where it would be implementing resilience programmes.

WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. On average, WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year.

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