Vatican City, 5 November 2007 – Over four million people in Zimbabwe will face critically low levels of staple foods by early next year unless they receive the necessary food aid to survive over the next six months.

The Caritas Confederation, the second largest aid network in the world, will be scaling up its operations to provide food for over 100,000 people until April 2008. Caritas will also help 16,500 families with agricultural and irrigation support in planting for the next harvest. Caritas has launched an appeal for US $7 million for Zimbabwe.

Families in rural parts Zimbabwe have produced only 50kg of maize for the year. Child malnutrition rates have doubled to 12 percent since November 2006. Urban areas are also under threat with 80 percent unemployment and 8000 percent inflation making basic food too expensive to buy for many.

Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley Anne Knight said, "The people of Zimbabwe are suffering. Harvests have failed as a result of poor rainfall and unsuccessful land reforms. The shops lie empty as the economic crisis worsens. The national health, education and agricultural services have collapsed. Zimbabweans who can are fleeing the tragedy that the country has become." 

The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe has blamed the Government led by President Robert Mugabe for overseeing the economic and social collapse, for violating the freedom and fundamental rights of the people, and for failing to tackle rampant corruption.   

Lesley Anne Knight said, "Unless the international community fills the shortfall in food, Zimbabwe faces a humanitarian crisis. The Zimbabwe government must ensure this food aid gets through to the people who need it most. The government there must also ensure it puts the policies in place, including political reforms, to ensure that a country which in the past was regarded as the regional breadbasket, can once more feed itself."  

The country has had a series of poor harvests due to droughts and as a result of a poorly implemented land reform process that has left many new farmers unable to use their land. Zimbabwe produced 40 percent less food this year than the year before.

Although Zimbabwe is set to import food, even taking into account their projected imports, there is still a 10 percent gap in the food they need.

At the same time, the economic crisis in Zimbabwe has reduced the ability of the government to deliver health, education, and agricultural support services. The situation has been worsened by a polarised political environment leaving well-established government structures unable to meet the needs of the people. 

The full impact of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe, with prevalence rates of over 20% in the age group 19-29 years, has severally weakened people's capacity to cope in times of need, and life expectancy in Zimbabwe is now estimated at less than 40 years for both men and women.

Please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 06 69879725 or 0039 3343590700 or nicholson@caritas.va