UN: Zimbabwe will run out of food by the end of February 2020

Complied by Chris Ohuaka


The United Nations (UN) have raised alarm at the depreciating food reserves in Zimbabwe. The country's food reserve which feeds millions of its citizens will vanish next month.

For a country ridden with political unrest, economic instability, violence, corruption and hunger, 2020 does not seem to bring any comfort as the near future spells doom.
The South African nation has been ripped apart by devastating drought for over a year now. This environmental hazard coupled with bad governance has seen the prices of food skyrocket significantly.

Maize farmers in 2019 harvested just half of what was harvested in 2018 which has seen the price of maize tripled, bread now costs 20 times more than it did in 2018, livestock have also not been spared as output have been diminished due to the drought. Half the population of Zimbabwe (about 8 million people) now face food insecurity.

The spiral effect of the drought has been utterly devastating. Victoria Falls, once the world's largest water fall, have almost dried up hence major hydro-electric plants have shutdown resulting to power blackouts. The power blackouts in turn will have made businesses that depend of electricity to thrive to either fold or lay off workers.
The deepening crisis have forced families to eat less, students now dropout of schools at an alarming rate and girls turn to prostitution all in a desperate attempt to survive.

Deputy country director of the World Food Programme (WFP) - Niels Balzer, has beckoned on other world bodies and the international community to come to Zimbabwe's rescue. The country is in dire need of donations estimated to be about $211m to help combat the threat of drought and hunger.

“As things stand, we will run out of food by end of February, coinciding with the peak of the hunger season – when needs are at their highest. Firm pledges are urgently needed as it can take up to three months for funding commitments to become food on people’s tables,”

“While WFP now has the staff, partners, trucking and logistics capacity in place for a major surge in Zimbabwe, it is essential that we receive the funding to be able to fully deliver. The lives of so many depend on this.”