Poor Zimbabweans to get 7.5kg of maize per month

The Zimbabwean government is launching a program to assist over six million food-insecure citizens, primarily in rural areas, who were severely affected by an El Niño-induced drought.

This initiative aims to distribute between 7.5kg and 8.5kg bags of maize meal per person each month until March 2025 to alleviate hunger.

Information Minister Jenfan Muswere announced the program's details during a weekly Post Cabinet Brief, emphasizing that the total cereal requirement from the National Strategic Grain Reserve will amount to 448,350 metric tonnes from July 2024 to March 2025.

The government's response comes amid an economic crisis and rising food insecurity, exacerbated by high unemployment rates. The number of Zimbabweans at risk of hunger has increased to 9.9 million, up from 7.7 million earlier this year.

Muswere also highlighted plans for a concurrent school feeding program, requiring 121,482.6 metric tonnes of cereals from July 2024 to April 2025, with a focus on supporting Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) payments.

In seeking international assistance, Zimbabwe has appealed for US$3.3 billion to support these life-saving initiatives, with Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe urging the international community to contribute to these efforts.