Zimbabwe Hunger

MORE than 2 million people from both the rural and urban areas are facing starvation in Zimbabwe- (a southern African country with a population of 11 million people) because of the worsening food crisis in the country worsened.

Although the Government of Zimbabwe and the World Food Programme (WFP) are doing all they can to avert outright hunger in the country, the situation is being worsened by the current drought situation affecting the region southern African region, high inflation rate currently pegged at 198 percent and shortage of basic goods like bread, sugar and mealie meal.

In its latest weekly update, the WFP said that it has only managed to so far distribute 116 000 tones of food to at least 2,7 million people in the country's 41 districts.

An official with the WFP, Mr. Luis Clemens said the organization plans to feed 4 million people before the end of this month but this is a toll order given the problems of fuel shortage and poor road network in some parts of rural areas.

"Reaching this target will depend very largely on the timely arrival of relief food shipments," Mr. Clemens said.

The WFP has been distributing food to those in dire need since the beginning of its emergency operation in Zimbabwe last year. The three largest donors of aid are the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union.

Attempts by some self-proclaimed ruling party supporters to interfere with the distribution and selection of beneficiaries of the food aid have been dealt with by the police at both district and provincial levels.

"Obviously, WFP would rather not have to dedicate time and energy dealing with those minor attempts at political interference. WFP strongly believes food should never be used as a political weapon by individuals at any level," said Mr. Clemens.

The relief operations of WFP and its implementing partners which include the Catholic Relief Service, Christian Care, Plan international, Lutheran Development Services, Help Age Zimbabwe, World Vision and Save the Children-UK. The Government of Zimbabwe has as of December 2002 purchased 1 005,862 tons of grain and of this only 648 231 tones have been delivered into the country.

The received quantities were distributed to people on the basis of their numbers in each district and survival needs. []