Acting principal director at the department of social services Sydney Mhishi said money given to treasury for the year was insufficient to meet the monthly requirement of 10 000t of maize.
He said more than 75% of the targeted beneficiaries will not be assisted and will face starvation.
“What we have is US$1,6 million (R17 429 600). If it was disbursed today, we can only purchase 666t of maize.”
In a statement released by UN World Food Programme, it said it’s concerned about the food security situation in Zimbabwe’s rural areas and its own ability “to respond to the needs of the people at this critical time.”
For more than a decade, food shortages have bedevilled Zimbabwe. In 2013, it produced 800 000t of maize, a huge drop from the more than 2 million tons it was producing more than 10 years ago.
Some of the factors blamed for declining production are erratic rains, drought and a ‘poor harvest’.
Earlier this year Zimbabwe announced it will be importing 150 000t of maize from South Africa.
Source: www.newzimbabwe.com
