USAID DONATES US$11.27M FOR DROUGHT RELIEF
THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated US$11.27 million to the World Food Programme (WFP)’s Lean season assistance in Harare.
The donation will help provide monthly food baskets to approximately 230 000 individuals and help people in drought prone areas such as Mangwe, Mwenezi, Bulawayo and Chivi.
The assistance will also address long-term goals, including climate smart agricultural practices and the provision of small holder farmers extension services.
The collective goal of the programme, which will be implemented via partnership with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, aims to reach approximately 2.7 million Zimbabweans.
The funds come at a time when there has been erratic rainfall and concern over the El Nino climate pattern.
USAID mission director, Janean Davis, said each participant will receive commodities of such as cereal, pulses and vegetable oil every month.
“USAID is committed to continue to strengthen community resilience and accelerate sustainable development, which empowers Zimbabweans to fight drought,” said Davis.
WFP Zimbabwe representative and country director, Francesca Erdelmann, said:
“We have mapped out areas where people require food assistance.
“Our teams are currently on the ground working with NGO partners World Vision, Caritas and the Mwenezi Development Training Centre in Buhera, Chivi and Mwenezi.
“Each person will receive 8.5kgs of grains, 1.7kgs of pulses and 0.6kgs of oil during each distribution.”