The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it is working with the government of Mozambique to support persons who are most vulnerable and in need of food assistance in the country.

Development Diaries reports that the WFP made this known in a statement noting the recent findings from Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on food security.

According to the IPC report, titled Mozambique: Acute Food Insecurity Situation November 2022–March 2023, an estimated 3.15 million people are highly food insecure and need urgent action.

SDG Two: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

The report revealed that the main contributing factors to the acute food insecurity observed in the current period were the occurrence of cyclones and strong winds – including tropical storm Ana in the provinces of Zambezia, affecting 32 percent of the population.

The IPC explained that in other areas like Cabo Delgado and parts of the Niassa and Nampula provinces, the main causes of acute food insecurity were insecurity and violence as a result of population displacement.

The National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) in March 2023 noted that the cumulative effects of the heavy rainfall and flooding had affected nearly 166,600 people in Mozambique.

It also revealed that more than 38,100 hectares of croplands were also affected as a result of flooding.

Data from WFP shows that Mozambique is a low-income, food-deficit country and 80 percent of people in the country cannot afford an adequate diet.

It also shows that the country ranked 103 out of 107 in the 2020 Global Hunger Index.

Photo source: WFP