World Vision Zambia is among four organisations
selected to distribute 30 000 tonnes of food donated to the country by
the US Government.
The World Food Programme (WFP), Care
International, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and WV Zambia will distribute
the food, which consists of bulgar wheat and sorghum. The WFP will distribute
10 000 tonnes and the remainder will be handled by the organisations.
The first shipment of 450 tonnes of food was presented in Lusaka as part of the USD 15 m consignment and was described by US envoy to Zambia Martin Brennan as an expression of US commitment to help Zambians in need.
He told WFP Country Director Richard Ragan that the US Government was very supportive and strongly endorsed Zambia's efforts to prioritise agriculture and practices that will improve production in the sector.
"We will be happy to stand in front of a stock of food meant for export but not relief food," he said, adding that the donation ought to mark the last time Zambia was receiving donor food commodities.
Mr Ragan expressed optimism that the impact of the food crisis in the country would be cushioned. The WFP was working with organisations through the office of the Vice-President to reach the vulnerable with relief food.
CRS Country Representative Michele Foust Broemmelsiek thanked the US for the donation and said her organisation, with World Vision and Care International, targeted orphans, pregnant mothers and HIV/AIDS infected persons among other people as food beneficiaries.
She said the three organisations worked as a consortium and were currently dealing with farmers and teaching them conservation farming in different parts of the country.
She said C-SAFE Zambia had targeted 394 000 highly vulnerable beneficiaries and this would call for USD 20 686 129 to buy and distribute 10 000 tonnes of sorghum, 10 000 of bulgar wheat and 3 500 of pinto beans.