AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - New food shortage alarm in Zimbabwe. Warning from UN Food and Agriculture Organisation

Thursday, 8 July 2004

Harare (Fides Service)- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO has issued a warning of possible severe food shortage in Zimbabwe. FAO said that this year the southern African country faces a deficit of 325,000 tons of cereal. While the government has predicted a record harvest of 2.4 million tons of cereal more than enough to feed the country, FAO experts say the 2004 harvest will yield only 1 million tons of cereal and produce as a result a serious food deficit.
FAO’s warning confirms the prediction made by Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, second largest town in Zimbabwe, who blamed the government for bringing the country to famine and causing a humanitarian disaster (see Fides 7 July 2004).
FAO says the causes for the critical situation are varied: not enough rain; lack of quality seed; badly managed land reforms. The decision taken by President Robert Mugabe to distribute farmland belonging to farmers of European origin among his supporters plunged into chaos the farming system in Zimbabwe until yesterday one of the best in Africa. Dividing large farms into small plots worked by different families led to a sudden change from vast scale production to subsistence farming unable to feed the country. What is more, rural areas are the most affected by the food shortage. FAO says that 2 million rural people now depend on international aid. Altogether in Zimbabwe more than 5 million people may have to depend on foreign aid for survival. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 8/7/2004 righe 24 parole 284)


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