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*WFP: 4.1 Million Zimbabweans Urgently Need Food Aid*

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A new food security report by the World Food Programme (WFP) has revealed that at least 4.1 million people in Zimbabwe are in urgent need of food aid due to low production and a high cost of living. This represents an increase from the estimated 3.6 million people at the beginning of April.

The report suggests that all provinces experienced an increase in the prevalence of insufficient food consumption except for Mashonaland West, Bulawayo, and Harare provinces. The number of people estimated to be resorting to “crisis and above” food-based coping strategies has also been on a downward trend since February this year. Reads the report in part:

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> According to WFP’s HungerMap LIVE monitoring platform, which collects data from rural and urban households through mobile surveys on a number of indicators, including food consumption patterns and coping strategies — the number of people facing insufficient food had been steadily decreasing since peaking at 5,8 million people in November last year.

> However, this trend has now reversed as the estimated number of people with insufficient food consumption rose from 3,6m at the beginning of April to 4,1m at the beginning of July. All provinces experienced an increase in the prevalence of insufficient food consumption in this period save for Mashonaland West, Bulawayo and Harare provinces.

> According to the recent FewsNet report, the 2023 harvests improved food availability and access. However, in deficit-producing areas, widespread stressed acute food insecurity outcomes still exist while in surplus-producing areas Minimal outcomes are more prevalent.

> Overall, stocks from own production in deficit-producing areas across the country will not last long due to relatively low production, hence crisis outcomes are likely to emerge in these areas by August and September.

> Reports from the WFP Masvingo and Bulawayo field offices confirm these observations. In the surplus-producing areas, worst-affected households will likely begin facing stressed outcomes by September as food stocks decline.

The report further indicates that urban areas are expected to be stressed due to high prices and a high cost of living, which limit poor households’ purchasing power to meet their non-food needs. Zimbabwe’s year-on-year inflation is still hovering around 200%, among some of the world’s highest rates.

The report comes as authorities have announced plans to export maize saying Zimbabwe recorded two successive record harvests resulting in a surplus. Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka said the country recorded a harvest of 2.8 million tonnes in 2020-21 and 2.2 million tonnes in 2021-22.

Zimbabwe has received a request from the Democratic Republic of Congo for exports of maize, with a cumulative request for 350,000 metric tonnes. However, humanitarian organizations have cautioned that millions of Zimbabweans could still need food aid.

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