South African maize helps UN provide relief for Mozambique's drought victims

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today it can continue to provide aid to thousands of Mozambican drought victims, thanks to the first shipment of 16,000 tons of maize from South Africa.

The donation is part of a larger contribution of 100,000 tons of maize valued at $20 million that was donated earlier this year to WFP's emergency operation in Mozambique.

At a ceremony hosted by WFP and attended by the country's high-ranking officials, Angela van Rynbach, WFP Representative to Mozambique, stressed the effects of the drought crisis and praised South Africa's donation to its neighbour. "The South African maize will help us expand to hot spots where these families are trying to survive in extremely fragile conditions," she noted.

After reviewing the results of April's maize harvest, assessment teams have found that large areas of southern and central Mozambique have experienced widespread crop failure. Almost 1 million people will need emergency food relief in the upcoming year, up from the 650,000 who were believed to be in need earlier this year.

WFP, which has been providing emergency food assistance to Mozambique's drought victims since July 2002, is working to increase its operations in hard-hit areas as more donor food arrives and partner support is strengthened.