Seven million Zimbabweans in both urban and rural areas have been registered for food aid before the next harvest following last season’s severe drought.

In 23 districts vulnerable households are already getting a 50kg bag of maize a month plus a grant of $100 to $250 depending on the size of the household.

The number of Zimbabweans registered as vulnerable and food insecure represents almost half of the country’s population with the crippling drought last year devasating crops in marginal areas, reducing yields in the rest of the country and limiting the scope for urban subsistence agriculture.

About a third of the vulnerable, or 2,2 million live in urban areas so Government and its development partners this year started a pilot project to extend food aid to urban areas targeting Epworth, which was considered the urban settlement with the highest number of vulnerable people.

The country’s social welfare strategy is undergoing review to improve efficiency in the distribution of humanitarian assistance and mitigate the effects of last year’s drought and ensure vulnerable Zimbabweans are cushioned.

For the first time this year, Government resolved to extend food relief operations to urban areas to cushion the vulnerable from hunger.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lovemore Matuke on Wednesday said Government and its partners were working flat out to make sure all the seven million people registered as vulnerable receive assistance.

“We have started extending food aid and cash assistance to some of them but we are yet to cover all the affected people,’’ he said.

Deputy Minister Matuke said only vulnerable people in 23 districts – including Epworth – in the whole country were receiving cash transfers and maize to cushion them from hunger. These districts were deemed to be worst affected by food shortages and were home to the highest number of vulnerable people.State media