via US gives Zim $10m for food aid – DailyNews Live 22 OCTOBER 2013
The US government, through its Agency for International Development’s (USAid) Office of Food for Peace (FFP), has provided an additional $10 million to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
This assistance will support humanitarian food needs in Zimbabwe during the October to March hunger season. WFP will use this contribution to purchase cereals, pulses, and oil, as well as to provide direct cash transfers to beneficiaries where food is available in local markets.
In anticipation of humanitarian food needs for the 2013-14 hunger season, USAid had previously contributed in-kind food — cereal, pulses, and oil — valued at approximately $15 million.
In total, the US government has contributed $25 million to WFP for this year’s humanitarian food operation, which will provide food for approximately 1,8 million of the most food insecure people in Zimbabwe.
The US government is responding to the recently identified needs of 2,2 million people requiring food assistance in Zimbabwe.
According to this year’s vulnerability assessment, the number of people needing food assistance during peak hunger season — between January and March 2014 — will rise by 32 percent from last year to nearly 2,2 million individuals, or a quarter of the rural population.
Melissa Williams, the USAid mission director in Zimbabwe, said: “Although the US government and other major donors are transitioning assistance in Zimbabwe from humanitarian relief to promoting sustainable development, humanitarian assessments continue to indicate that significant numbers of people in Zimbabwe still require seasonal assistance to meet their minimum food needs. US government contributions toward alleviating these needs signal our continued support of the people of Zimbabwe.”
USAid also recently awarded approximately $100 million to two consortia of non-governmental organisations.
These organisations will work in areas that typically receive humanitarian food aid and will support activities addressing the underlying causes of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition with the aim of reducing future humanitarian food needs.
The United States remains the world’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance in Zimbabwe.
USAid has contributed more than $1,1 billion to humanitarian operations in Zimbabwe since 2002.
COMMENTS
Well it sounds good for stomach-loving Zimbabweans, but I cannot rule out a political agenda,What is USA trying to prove? Over to you guys help me to understand.
Political agenda yeiko yaunoti taurira,maZimba kuda kunzi makafunda stereki netuchirungu tusina basa,when we are among the poorest in the world,rega vanhu vadye vagute,beggars cant be choosers.
No Political Agenda. Good Aid but remember the Americans and British know how to create jobs for their people. It will not surprise if $1million of this will go towards expatriates salaries, directors and officers of these UN Agencies and some NGOs are anglo-american. They will benefit from their donations. The locals have pathetic employment contracts. Pls find out how much money will be used to buy the food directly and you will prove my point
There are no sanctions on Zimbabwe except if you believe that the two or three people with travel restrictions are the only citizens of the country. Over 13 million Zimbabweans can travel to any state of USA as and when they want.
For those commenters who question the purpose of such a gift to a peopled starved by ZANUPF,
You commenters make it sound as though this is the first time USA has sent to the needs of the Zim poor. To those ZANUPF who question such a free gift to a people starved by ZANUPF policies, perhaps you should send the funds back.
Now you explain how the travel restrictions on Mugabe and his band of thieves has destroyed the Zim economy. Explain how Mugabe suddenly became so rich, and how so much aid money ended up in a few personal ZANUPF accounts. Explain how those restrictions have dried up foreign investment in Zim. Explain why ZANUPF will not release the voter rolls. Explain why ZANUPF wants to control the distribution from the NGOs. Explain the power outages. Explain the 80% unemployment. Explain the ZANUPF corruption. I could go on, but that should keep you busy for awhile.
And suddenly, there is silence….
Give us the fishing rod not the fish!!! The MDC is the fishing rod, zanu has hijacked the WFP!!!!
The USA is supporting the millions driven to starvation by ZANU PF. The sanctions are not against Zbabweans but Bob and his inner circle who have effectively ruined that country. They are crying because they cannot get their hands on the monies they have stolen and deposited on European Banks. Wake up.
Shame!shame!shame! to those who think Zimbabwe is under sanctions.
How else would the mug and his lacky’s afford to buy his cabinet new luxury vehicles.I am amazed at the apathy of zimbabweans at this.Look what the nigerian people do when there government buys luxury bullet proof vehicles.Do zimbabweans read the news????
This happens because you allow it to happen. How hard is it to comprehend?
of-course if Zanu Pf does not like US CIAs then they need to govern well. once USG gives is millions then the condition associated with it is monitoring how the funds are being used (call it boots on the ground). As they monitor compliance issues…..they will also see Zimbabwean being brutualised, maimed, slaughter…..definitely to them its unheard off, touristic and unraveling, so they take photos. the results, more restrictions to HE and ministers. The solution is the change in their behaviour and dictatorship
1.1 Billion Dollars since 2002!!!
Tendai hanzvadzi siyana nomweya wesadza utange wafunga usati wagamuchira uchaisirwa poison.
good thing
is there GMO maize in BYO/
Only those who are lazy will like this.we dont leave to eat hey ,work-up zimbos
Well let the people starve then you frigging idiot. I beg if you were not on Mugabe’s band wagon you would not ask such pathetic stupid questions. An empty stomach makes man very very angry. I wish one of the hungry could get hold of you, you total embecile
!
He’s one of the 20% who have a job… obviously, a ZANUPF lackey.
“The United States remains the world’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance in Zimbabwe. USAid has contributed more than $1,1 billion to humanitarian operations in Zimbabwe since 2002.”
How much have our “Look East,” friends the Chinese given during the same period? Only about half that amount, $600M; and their money is in the form of “investments,” such as the new Defense Collage which is being paid for with free diamonds for the Chinese. How does an investment like that count as humanitarian assistance? How does it help the people in any way?
Zhing Zhongs think just like zanoids. It’s all about me me me
USA is not at all doing justice to the people of Zimbabwe. I have on many occasions highlited that Zimbabwe is not in a humanitarian mode to warrant this kind of a gesture.
Zimbabwe has the capacity to feed it’s own people, there is no doubt about that. All this gesture is doing is to reinforce irresponsible resource management in the country by a corrupt govt.It’s clear Mugabe and his henchmen have a sigh of relief as they know it’s one problem solved. Food insecurity in Zimbabwe is caused by a host of factors but the responsibility of this situation solely lies with govt’s incompetence to boost productivity in every sector of the economy.
The perpetual misgivings of a government that does not care about the welfare of it’s people and are busy lining their pockets will welcome the USA donation with open hands. Where is the diamond money? Gold and Platinum!!! It is the same government whose village heads in the community are going to distribute the food on partisan lines. Anyone who oopenly showed they belonged to the opposition are likely to miss out on this food aid.
USA is doing more harm than good to the people of Zimbabwe. Mugabe and his government have a responsibility to feed the nation.