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UNDP raises 60 mln USD for Zimbabwe's food aid

Xinhua, February 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)said Wednesday it has raised 60 million U.S. dollars for food aid in Zimbabwe after the government recently declared this year's drought a national disaster.

"So far, about 60 million dollars was mobilized and it is being updated further, with close to a million people being reached," Bishow Parajuli, UNDP Resident Representative for Zimbabwe, told diplomats during an international food appeal by the Zimbabwe government in the capital Harare.

Parajuli said the UN planned to raise 130 million dollars towards food aid in the southern African country that has faced perennial food shortages due to successive drought in recent years.

On Tuesday, Zimbabwe launched an appeal for 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in food aid to avoid mass starvation in the country.

The money will be used to import food, rehabilitate irrigation systems and for livestock and wildlife support, said Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa when he launched the appeal.

According to government, the El Nino induced drought has left nearly a quarter of the population in need of food aid. It has said it will need to import up to 700,000 tonnes of the staple maize to avert hunger.

Zimbabwe requires 1.4 million tonnes of maize a year for consumption. Enditem