Zimbabwe needs more than $170m to deal with rural food shortages

Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has introduced a raft of measures meant to shore up the countrys dwindling financial resources Photo Xinhua | Report Focus News — Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has introduced a raft of measures meant to shore up the country’s dwindling financial resources. Photo: Xinhua

More than two million Zimbabweans may need support to buy food between January and March 2019, according to a report released on Tuesday by the government and the World Food Programme.

Fall armyworm, a pest that eats mainly corn, erratic rainfall and a decline in cash remittances sent to rural families by relatives contributed to food insecurity,” according to the report, produced annually and known as the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee.

The worst affected areas are Matabeleland North, Masvingo and Matabeleland South, it said.

“The country requires $140m to buy cereals and $31m for other food commodities to provide a full food basket for the vulnerable households,” the report said.