GOVERNMENT has paid tribute to Japanese Ambassador Yonezo Fukuda, for his country’s contribution of $4,2 million to boost food and nutrition security among some of the poorest families in Zimbabwe.
BY STAFF REPORTER
Japan’s donation is in response to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) Rural Livelihoods Report 2013 which estimates that close to 2,2 million were unlikely to meet their daily food requirements between January and March this year.
The donation will help fund various WFP initiatives including current programmes to assist vulnerable rural families until the next harvest, in addition to supporting malnourished HIV/TB patients, women and children.
Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Tongai Muzenda said: “We would like to express our gratitude for the support received from Japan. This support will go a long way towards complementing government efforts to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.”
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director Sory Ouane also said: “This contribution is important to WFP, coming at a time when our operation in Zimbabwe is facing a considerable funding shortage.”
WFP and its partners are currently assisting some 1,2 million vulnerable people through food distribution and cash transfers.
“This contribution reaffirms Japan’s willingness to support crucial interventions not only for ensuring human security, which we greatly emphasise, but also for meeting basic human needs such as adequate nutrition,” Fukuda said at the handover ceremony. “Our support is designed to sustain the most vulnerable so as to provide fulfilling lives.”
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WFP requires $80 million to implement its operations for the next six months in the country of which $60 million has yet to be resourced.
In the past decade, Japan has contributed more than $35 million to WFP’s operations in Zimbabwe.
