The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a €500,000 (US$ 610,000) contribution from the Italian Government to provide food to people affected by the drought in Zambia.
Drought and prolonged dry spells have left 2.3 million people severely food insecure and in need of humanitarian food assistance.
“In the context of the current crisis, the Italian emergency contribution confirmed in December 2019 is crucial to WFP. The funds will enable WFP to procure around 340 MT of pulses to cover the food needs of about 99,000 people for an entire month, helping WFP ensure that the people residing in the areas most affected by the drought can receive the immediate assistance they need,” said Jennifer Bitonde, WFP Country Representative in Zambia.
“At the same time, WFP will continue to work to strengthening communities’ resilience to future climatic shocks under its five-year Country Strategic Plan (2019-2024),” she added.
As part of the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan, WFP is currently supporting the Government’s response by providing logistics support by delivering Government-supplied maize meal, as well as by procuring and delivering pulses to ensure a nutrition-sensitive food basket.
WFP is also working closely with partners to monitor food distributions and guarantee that resources reach those most in need.
About 1.1 million people are expected to receive WFP’s support, while the remaining 1.2 million will be assisted by the Government and other partners, with whom WFP is working and closely coordinating.
Meanwhile, the United States through its US Agency for International Development has also made a contribution of USD 3.39 million to the United Nations World Food Programme.
The objective of this contribution is to meet the immediate food requirements of drought-affected people in Zambia.
The support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) comes at a moment of increasing needs, after drought and prolonged dry spells have left 2.3 million people severely food insecure and in need of assistance.
Through this funding, World Food Programme (WFP) will deliver 2,380 MT of pulses to complement the Government’s maize for three months, giving 255,000 drought-affected people across the country the food and nutritional assistance they need.
“WFP requires USD 36 million to effectively support the Government in responding to the crisis. USAID’s contribution represents approximately 10 percent of the total needs and will allow WFP to ensure that drought-affected people will not go to bed hungry during this year’s lean season,” WFP’s Country Representative in Zambia, Jennifer Bitonde opined.
We are glad that the correct terminology is being used. It is not a national disaster or famine. We also thank the Italians for the good gesture.
No doubt they took note of HH’s cry for help while others continued playing politics wth people’s lives. Global news channels such as BBC and Sky News moved in to capture everything on film.
What a waste of Italian resources. The money will not help anyone its intended for, other than go into the personal accounts of thieving leaders
Listened in to the BBC report yesterday on radio. Man! SP is surely hit. No wonder h² freaks out man. It is appalling denying climate change as it hits the country’s food basket. The same cannot be true on the power situation we’re in. The same will not be tolerated on food as well next year and years to come because this country ought to stand up and effectively plan proactively in the work of the worst case scenario climate-wise. On campaigns this year and next year, candidates will have to be evaluated on how they will authenticatically fight climate change effects on Food and Energy – energy policies. These two forms of energy are vital not to be left at the mercy of DONATIONS.
Alternative power plants and winter…
…maize have to be on the table always going forward.
#insala nindiminwa tempulilwa
Problem statement.
Climate change and its effects are real, what can a progressive Government do to nationally efficiently and effectively strategise to mitigate it.
At this point we do not need a begger, we need a pragmatist to make things happen nationally.
Help Help we beggars are to lazy to work….. as usual.
All this money will be used for building Foundation in Eswathini for Lungu’s mansion…no accountability in Zambia..and the remainder will be shared amongst PF bandits…more 48 houses coming soon
Unbelievable…even begging from struggling countries like Italy…check out poverty levels in Italy……Italy,Spain,Greece,Portugal they’re just like third world countries and we begging from them
…maize have to be on the table always going forward.
#insala nindiminwa tempulilwa
Problem statement.
Climate change and its effects are real, what can a progressive Government do to nationally efficiently and effectively strategise to mitigate it.
At this point we do not need a begger, we need a pragmatist to make things happen nationally.
This money will most definitely be misappropriated. It will end up in a few PF politicians pockets.
Mark my words
Italy you may as well just send the money as unmarked dollar bills via DHL to the PF secretariat addressed to Sunday and Tony Mwanza with a Xmas card.
Its going to world food programe not
government.Maybe the bosses there can
play some game.Anyway something is
better then nothing.We cannot be choosers.
This money will go missing faster than it comes….
Ba PF niba pompwe
The international community recognizes that there is a national disaster in Zambia .ECL and the PF are still in denial.
As Zambia ,we are truly thankful for this kind gesture.
The NGO’s , Church mother bodies, MP’s in the affected areas etc should closely monitor the relief actions .
They must ensure that the aid goes directly to the people in need and not PF party cadres.
Thank you.That will help our people.Why this govt couldn’t help it’s own beats but after 2021 we will know.
When WFP is in a country, it means that there must be some food issues going on. This govt has always been denying that. Zambians, confirmation endorsed by KZ personally. The truth is finally floating.
When WFP is in a country, it means that there must be some food issues going on. This govt has always been denying that. Zambians, confirmation endorsed by KZ personally. The truth is finally floating.
Thanks for giving the money directly to the World food program. It appears the Italians have an idea to what is happening on the ground, maybe we should thank Daniel Foote. Because giving the money to our black mambazo called pee efu would be a big problem.
Its not only Southern Province, in the North we have rains but not enough food.
Reason: No food from Southern. For decades now our food deficit was covered by excesses from southern.
So send food here as well. We voted PF, remember.
Balya nafuti ba PF , those affected will only get a quarter of this aid . Mukomfwako, how I wish there was a tracking system on these funds.
Thank you. BBC covered this story and showed sorry pictures of women terribly affected by hunger in Zambia. It is a national disaster in fact.
Regional calamity.