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Herald Reporters
Japan has donated $1,5 million to support a UN World Food Programme (WFP) relief operation to help people facing food shortages owing to drought that ravaged most parts of the country.

In a statement, Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Yoshinobu Hiraishi said the donation would go a long way in helping vulnerable people in Zimbabwe improve their livelihoods.

“Japan is pleased to be able to make a contribution to WFP. We hope this will help bridge the current food gaps as well as strengthening people’s resilience against future food shortages,” he said.

The WFP will use the money to buy food for vulnerable households in drought-prone parts of the country.

WFP country director Mr Sory Ouene hailed the assistance.

“Japan’s contribution comes at a critical time. Not only will it help us meet people’s immediate needs, but it will enable us to provide vulnerable people with the means to work their way out of food insecurity and build a future free from hunger,” he said.

The WFP official said Japanese support would enable the UN agency to commence food aid operations in the worst affected parts such as Zvishavane and Mwenezi.

Food aid operations, he said, would start next month and vulnerable people would either be given food or cash while they work on irrigation or water harvesting schemes that would give them an income as well as the resources to better withstand shocks associated with climate change.

The Government of Japan is one of the largest donors in Zimbabwe.

Since 2010, it has provided more than $43 million of humanitarian and development assistance through WFP and other agencies.

The food security situation in Zimbabwe and the region is expected to be less than satisfactory as a result of poor rains in most parts of the region, dry spells in some areas, and floods in others.