Over 6.2 Million Rural Zimbabweans Require Food Aid, Says Government
According to Zimbabwe’s Food Security Outlook to March 2025, at least 6.2 million people living in rural areas will require food assistance, with nearly 465,000 metric tonnes of grain needed.
This was said by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Anxious Masuka.
The Minister also revealed that Zimbabwe’s Strategic Grain Reserve currently holds 264,246 metric tonnes of grain, excluding an additional 32,314 metric tonnes imported by the government. Said Masuka:
The country’s food balance sheet to March 2025 indicates that 6.2 million rural residents will need assistance.
Considering the requirements of the rural population until March 2025 and the school feeding program until April 2025, the maximum amount of grain required is 464,608.54 metric tonnes.
Current stocks in the Strategic Grain Reserve, which include wheat, maize, and traditional grains, stand at 264,246 metric tonnes, excluding 32,314 metric tonnes imported by the Government to date.
Masuka announced that the 200,362.54 metric tonne shortfall will be addressed through surplus from the winter wheat harvest and additional government grain imports, estimated at 300,000 metric tonnes.
He also said the government will accelerate depot-to-depot grain movement from August to October 2024.
The private sector is expected to import all stock-feed requirements, totalling 400,000 metric tonnes, and urban maize requirements of up to 450,000 metric tonnes by March 2025.
To date, 567,160 metric tonnes have been imported. Import permits for 1.8 million metric tonnes of maize are currently active, Masuka added.
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