Political Correspondent
The Republic of Korea has donated $1 million to Zimbabwe through the World Food Programme (WFP) to support drought relief efforts.
The funds will provide essential food and nutritional assistance to 22,000 vulnerable individuals for three months.
Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha expressed gratitude for the timely support, stating,
“This donation will strengthen our efforts to provide vital food assistance during the lean season, particularly for those hardest hit by the El Niño-induced drought.”
An estimated 5.9 million people living in rural Zimbabwe and 1.7 million in urban areas are expected to face food insecurity during the lean season, the period between household food depletion and the next harvest, expected between January and March 2025.
WFP’s deputy country director, Billy Mwiinga, commended Korea for their intervention, saying,
“This support will reduce the plight of those facing hunger and aligns with our mission of building resilience.”
Korean Ambassador Jae Kyung Park emphasized the importance of enhancing adaptation capacity and resilience in dealing with climate change, stating,
“Innovation in agriculture and productivity may contribute to climate resilience.”
Through WFP’s Lean Season Assistance (LSA) programme, which compliments the government of Zimbabwe’s Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy, the timely contribution will significantly bolster WFP’s efforts to alleviate hunger by providing targeted support to the most affected households during this critical period.
The donation aims to address the immediate needs of those facing hunger and support Zimbabwe’s efforts to build resilience against climate-related disasters.
Zim GBC News©2024