EU humanitarian aid for victims of food shortage in Zimbabwe

Sumario: August 6, 2002: Commission provides a further Euro 35 million for victims of food shortages in Zimbabwe (Brussels)

The European Commission has allocated a further €35 million from the food security budget line for victims of food shortages in Zimbabwe. The funds will mainly be used to distribute food to the poorest families and other vulnerable groups in the most seriously affected districts of the country.

A major component of this decision will be the purchase of approximately 90 000 tonnes of maize. Food aid, financed by the Commission in earlier decisions, has already been delivered to the country.

Commenting on the latest decision, Poul Nielson, the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said, "Direct food aid is urgently needed on top of our well established longer-term action to improve food security and prevent widespread starvation. The Commission remains ready to take further measures in fighting this crisis, both in Zimbabwe and in the region. However, the government also has a responsibility to help ensure that aid gets to those that need it. The government can also take measures to ensure that the private sector can play its role in bringing food to the market."

The main component of this new assistance package managed the Commission's EuropeAid Co-operation Office, is being provided as a specific contribution for Zimbabwe in the framework of the Regional Emergency Operation recently launched by the World Food Programme (WFP) as a response to the food crisis in Southern Africa. This assistance will fund the purchase of around 90,000 tonnes of maize (worth around €32 million). The food will be purchased, where possible, in the region and will be distributed to highly vulnerable households in needy districts of Zimbabwe. Targeted food distributions are being carried out by the WFP and its implementing NGO partners in collaboration with local authorities. Distribution is being closely monitored by the WFP, the EC and the donor community to ensure that it is equitable and non-politicised. WFP is organising the procurement, transport and delivery of the foodstuffs, which are scheduled to start reaching people in September. This comes in addition to the 18,250 tonnes of food (worth €10.5 million) already attributed to the previous WFP EMOP in Zimbabwe since April 2002 and which started to reach the population at the beginning of July.
Another component of the programme (worth around €2.5 million) is the delivery of seeds and other agricultural inputs to the small farmers which have been the most affected by the drought. This will help them to prepare the next agricultural season due to start next October/November 2002. This aid is distributed directly through NGOs. This component may also include food aid in favour of very vulnerable groups like children, pregnant and lactating women and families directly affected by HIV-AIDS.

The remaining €0.5 million will fund technical assistance to ensure a closer monitoring of the food aid and seeds distributions.

Zimbabwe's food shortages are due to a combination of an unresolved political and economic crisis, resulting in sharp economic decline, compounded by the undermining of commercial agriculture by the ' fast track' land reform and the drought, which has affected Southern Africa more widely. The unprecedented cereal deficit of the country is estimated at 1,87 million MT equivalent to 70% of its yearly needs. With around 6 million inhabitants (half the population) now in need of urgent food aid, Zimbabwe is the most affected country by the food crisis in the region.

Ref: EC02-157EN
Fuente UE: Comisión Europea
Foro NU: Otros
Fecha: 6/8/2002

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