With reports that up to five million people may be at risk of chronic food insecurity by the beginning of 2009, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is today appealing for almost 28 million Swiss francs (USD 26.6 million / € 17.1 million) to assist 260,100 vulnerable people.
A UN report released on 18 June suggests that Zimbabwe’s 2008 winter harvest may only produce about 40 per cent of the country’s needs. The report projects that there will be more than two million food insecure people for the period between July and September 2008, rising to 3.8 million between October and December and peaking at 5.1 million people between January and March 2009.
“This figure (5.1 million) represents approximately 45 per cent of the country’s population,” said Peter Lundberg, the head of the IFRC’s delegation in Harare. “It gives a clear indication of how severe the situation is and could become. We are very concerned.”
The preliminary emergency appeal will enable the Zimbabwe Red Cross, with support from the IFRC, to assist about 260,100 particularly vulnerable people. In the immediate term, efforts will focus on distributing emergency food aid. To this end, the Red Cross Red Crescent will be importing more than 35,000 metric tonnes of food into Zimbabwe.
In the longer-term, the Red Cross Red Crescent will support families and communities to restore and improve their ability to cope with future similar threats and challenges. The people targeted through this preliminary appeal are either infected or affected by HIV, explained Françoise Le Goff, the head of the IFRC’s Southern African zone.
“We know that this food shortage will endanger communities right across the country,” said Ms Le Goff “But we also know that it will be acutely difficult for this very vulnerable group and we need to be sure that they receive the assistance they need.”
Red Cross Red Crescent operations in Zimbabwe are being coordinated with other humanitarian organizations in the country, including UN agencies.
This preliminary emergency appeal is based on initial assessments of the situation. As more detailed assessments come to hand, and as the needs of vulnerable communities become clearer, the appeal may be revised and possibly increased.
The full preliminary emergency appeal is available at www.ifrc.org.