President of Zimbabwe, H.E. Robert Mugabe and Vice President Hon.Joyce Mujuru take time at the United Nations on the sidelines of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy for Zimbabwe launch. (WFP/Victoria Cavanagh)

UN Supports Government of Zimbabwe in Tackling Food and Nutrition Insecurity

Harare - Persistent hunger and under-nutrition continue to be major obstacles to development and economic growth in Zimbabwe, especially among the poor. A third of Zimbabwe’s children between six months and five years are short for their age and hence more prone to disease. The United Nations, through its specialist agencies- WFP, UNICEF, WHO and FAO - has supported the development of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy for Zimbabwe. The policy, launched in Harare on 16 May 2013 by the President of Zimbabwe, H.E Robert Mugabe, seeks to promote adequate food and nutrition security for all, particularly amongst the poor whose lives are most vulnerable to the dangers and deprivations caused by hunger and malnutrition.

Overview

Food production in Zimbabwe has been devastated by a combination of economic and political instability, and natural disasters. Recurrent droughts, a series of poor harvests, high unemployment (estimated at more than 60%), restructuring of the agriculture sector and a high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – at 13.7 per cent, the fifth highest in the world - have all contributed to increasing levels of vulnerability and acute food insecurity since 2001. This situation has necessitated large-scale humanitarian food assistance operations in the country.
 
 
 
 
 
WFP Offices
Subscribe & Share

Get involved with Latest News and Stories