The United Nations has given the World Food Program another five million dollars for its feeding programs in Zimbabwe, amid reports that the government will boost cereal imports to offset looming maize shortages due to drought.
The World Food Program's spokesman for Southern Africa, Richard Lee, told VOA the new funding should “make a large difference” in hitting the organization's Zimbabwe funding target of US$20 million.
The UN agency plans to provide food assistance to some 1.5 million Zimbabweans into the harvest period beginning in March.
Media reports say most of the country's 10 provinces have had poor rains, eastern Manicaland province being the most affected.
However, Lee told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere that while rains have been erratic in Zimbabwe in recent weeks, it is still premature to say that this amounts to a drought likely to devastate crops.
* VoA
