Zimbabwe has been struggling to feed itself since 2000 when former president Robert Mugabe seized white-owned farms, disrupting production and leading to sharp falls in output. The crisis has been exacerbated by an El Nino-induced drought that has hit many southern African nations. The government estimates that 2.7 million people will go hungry this year, although the real number could be higher.
The World Food Programme acting country director Christine Mendes in Buhera, about 220 km southeast of the capital, Harare, said that many crops have wilted. Zimbabwe's staple maize harvest is expected to halve to 1.1 million tons this year. The World Food Programme has helped 270,000 people in four drought-prone districts between January and March but will need additional funds to feed more. In Buhera, 47-year-old Mary Takawira assessed her crop, which dried up before maturity, and said that this will be a tough year. The government is considering whether to declare a state of emergency.
