HARARE, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A new United Nations report has rated Zimbabwe as one of the top global food crises, with millions requiring urgent humanitarian assistance due to prolonged drought and a deepening economic crisis.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is also set to worsen the situation, according to a report by the Global Food Crisis Report Forecast (GFCRF) released Tuesday.
The joint report, released by FAO, OCHA, WFP, UNICEF from the United Nations, the European Union and USAID, envisages worsening food insecurity in Zimbabwe in 2020 with an estimated 4.3 million rural Zimbabweans in urgent need of food aid.
According to the World Food Program, 7.7 million people which is almost half Zimbabwe's population require food aid until the next harvest in April 2021.
"Millions of Zimbabweans are already struggling to put food on the table, having faced prolonged drought and economic hardship for some time. It is imperative that we unite, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe and provide urgent food assistance safely to prevent an already vulnerable population from slipping deeper into this hunger crisis," WFP country director Eddie Rowe said.
The food crisis has also worsened malnutrition in children, with about 1 in 4 children under five in the country are stunted and at risk of impaired physical and cognitive growth.
"During this COVID-19 pandemic we must act decisively to continue essential nutrition and health services for all children," said UNICEF representative Laylee Moshiri.
FAO representative Jocelyn Brown said measures to curb the further spread of COVID-19 were impacting negatively on the food system in Zimbabwe, through restricted access to markets by both farmers and consumers, and a glut of perishable nutritious food like fruits and vegetables.
"Deliberate measures are needed to prevent and mitigate against these," she said.
Zimbabwe, which has recorded four deaths from 32 confirmed cases of COVID-19, is in fifth week of national lockdown due to end on May 3. Enditem
