The United Nations World Food Programme has announced saying it is running out of food by February 2020 if it does not receive US$200 million to feed 4.1 million struggling Zimbabweans currently facing starvation.
WFP’s Deputy Country Director in Zimbabwe, Niels Balzer, on Monday, called on countries to step up support to Zimbabwe, where millions of people are facing hunger. He said:
As things stand, we will run out of food by the end of February, coinciding with the peak of the hunger season – when needs are at their highest.
Firm pledges are urgently needed as it can take up to three months for funding commitments to become food on people’s tables.
Zimbabwe was hit by a severe drought during the 2018/19 rainy season, with the maize harvest dropping by 50 per cent.
In August, WFP had to launch an emergency lean season assistance programme, months earlier than expected.