The World Food Programme (WFP) says it urgently needs about US$36.5 million to keep its food assistance programmes running in Zimbabwe for the next six months.
In its latest country brief, the UN agency said it helped around 161,000 people in April, distributing 2,890 tonnes of food and providing US$67,400 in cash transfers to vulnerable households.
The 2025-26 Lean Season Assistance programme reached 151,000 people in March, short of the 199,000 target, after improvements in food supply pipeline issues.
“WFP and partners launched the 2025-26 Lean Season Assistance in January to support 199 072 people by March. February assistance reached 125 263 due to pipeline breaks and delayed cereals and pulses, but improved conditions in March enabled assistance to about 151 000 people. The cycle was extended to April to complete distribution,” the WFP said.
It said the outlook for the 2025-26 farming season was mixed. While the area planted with staple cereals reached 103% of the national target at 2.43 million hectares, this was slightly below 2024-25 levels, according to the First Round Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA-1).
The agency warned that a drop in maize hectarage in key surplus-producing provinces, including Manicaland and Mashonaland Central, could reduce national food availability.
To build community resilience, WFP has been rehabilitating and building livelihood facilities, including poultry centres in Harare.
It is also working to strengthen market-oriented food systems by supporting agricultural value chains and improving post-harvest handling.
This includes sesame marketing and management programmes run with Agritex, SAT and farmer associations.
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