Photo taken on Oct. 11, 2019 shows the drought land in Mt. Darwin, Zimbabwe. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)
Africa remains the epicenter of hunger. A 2019 report indicates that out of 2 billion people suffering from food insecurity globally, about 676 million are from the continent.
Peter Muganda and his elderly peers who reside in the low-income suburbs of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, could be facing starvation were it not for food ration provided by the government and donor agencies.
The 75-year-old pensioner who lives with his wife and three grandchildren, has benefitted from monthly donation of 20 kg of maize by the state to cushion him from hunger that is on the rise in Zimbabwe amid climate shocks and economic downturn.
"I have been receiving maize since May this year and it has ensured that my family takes a meal each day," Muganda told Xinhua. "It is not enough but at least we have somewhere to start from."
Muganda's homeland, which was for decades described as Africa's breadbasket, has not been spared hunger which threatens to roll back economic and social gains in the world's largest developing continent.
The latest Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee Results indicates that about 5.5 million people in Zimbabwe face food insecurity, as scanty rains and erratic weather patterns have caused a negative impact on crop harvests and livelihood prospects.
