capital, the government together with UN will launch a programme to source
for funds to avert widespread hunger as the country failed to harvest enough
staple maize.
“A food appeal programme with the United Nations will be officially launched
on Monday at Meikles hotel to source for about US 7 million dollars for food
to avert hunger,”a senior government official said Thursday.
The Minister of Finance,Tendai Biti announced in March that the country
needs to import 500 000 tonnes of maize to cover the shortfall this year
after farmers failed to meet the country’s requirement of 2,2 million
tonnes.
Farmers are expected to harvest 1,5 million tonnes of maize as the
government has already provided US 2 million dollars to the Grain Marketing
Board (GMB) to secure the required strategic reserve of 500 000 tonnes.
Biti also announced that his ministry is working with three banks to source
US 70 million dollars to re-stock the country’s food requirements.
To prevent the country from running out of maize government announced this
year that only the GMB will be allowed to export any maize products.
However, government allowed private millers to buy maize from farmers but
will not be allowed to process and export any of their products.
Zimbabwe agriculture sector has been down since the country embarked on the
much criticized land reform programme, removing experienced farmers to
settle landless blacks.
Despite the government providing the bulk of inputs to newly resettled
farmers, most of the inputs which include seed ,fertilizer and fuel were
sold on the black market.
This year there were disruptions reported on some white owned farms as they
were new fresh farm invasions in the Chegutu area.