WFP says its appeal for 140 million dollars to fund its operations in Zimbabwe until the end of March 2009 has failed to attract support. The funds were to purchase 145,000 tons of food. Faced with a serious shortfall in relief supplies, WFP says it has been forced to cut food rations in order to stretch its available resources beyond January 2009. Emillia Casella is WFP spokesperson in Geneva.
"We are cutting the cereal ration to 10kg per person down from 12 of cereals and pulses are down to one kg per person down from 1.8kg. What is particularly concerning us is that there is currently no food in the pipeline for Zimbabwe in January and February. The main problem for us in Zimbabwe is the funding. We have the logistical capability, we do work well with the authorities on the ground, we are able to get to the people, but we don't actually physically have the food to do it."
She says WFP requires between 6 to 8 weeks to procure food relief supplies and deliver to those in need, adding that reduction in food rations was likely to increase the number of malnourished people. WFP says in the worst affected communities, people are surviving on one meal a day or eating wild fruits in order to survive. Patrick Maigua UN Radio Geneva.
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