Due to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Zimbabwe is faced with a food crisis situation. Before the  outbreak, 7.7 million Zimbabweans faced food shortages due to a drought and cyclone in 2019 and patchy rains this year.

With the spread of the virus, Zimbabwe now faces a triple threat of climate breakdown, monetary woes and a new economic crisis caused by the lockdown.

The government’s latest figures show that 8.5 million Zimbabweans are now food insecure, while international aid agencies say up to 45 million people face hunger in southern Africa due to climate-induced food shortages.

The government has promised a food grant of $2.4 billion Zimbabwe dollars ($96 million) targeting 1 million people for six months, without saying where it would get the money.

Read more on : Reuters