This archive report was first published on 20 September 2019.
On September 20, 2019, Zimbabwe faced a severe maize shortage due to the country's worst drought in 40 years.
The drought, which was exacerbated by Cyclone Idai in 2019, had a devastating impact on the maize harvest, reducing it by half.
According to the UN's food agency, 2.3 million rural Zimbabweans were on the cusp of starvation at the beginning of August 2019.
"Widespread poverty, HIV/Aids, limited employment opportunities, liquidity challenges, recurrent climate-induced shocks and economic instability all contribute to limiting adequate access to food," the World Food Programme (WFP) said about Zimbabwe.
As a result, Zimbabwe turned to Tanzania for help, purchasing 100,000 tonnes of maize to alleviate the shortage.
