OVER six million food insecure Zimbabweans are set to benefit from a government scheme that will see them getting between 7.5kg and 8.5kg bags of maize meal each per month up to March next year, to avert hunger.

Beneficiaries of the programme will mostly be from the country's rural areas which were hard hit by an El Nino induced drought and recorded poor to no harvests.

Already reeling from a never ending economic crisis characterised by astronomical unemployment rates, some 9.9 million Zimbabweans are at risk of hunger.

The figure shot up from 7.7 million at the start of the year.

"The 2024 Rural Livelihoods Assessment established that the total cereal requirements from the National Strategic Grain Reserve for the period July 2024 to March 2025 would be 448 350 metric tonnes, broken down as follows; 45 750 metric tonnes per month for July to September 2024; and 51 850 metric tonnes per month for October 2024 to March 2025," Information Minister Jenfan Muswere told journalists on Tuesday.

He was speaking at government's weekly Post Cabinet Brief where he also revealed a feeding scheme for school going children will be run concurrently.

"The food insecure people will receive 7.5kg per person per month for the period July to September 2024, and 8.5kg per person per month from October 2024 to March 2025," he added.

"The Report noted that 121 482.6 metric tonnes will be required for the school feeding programme from July 2024 to April 2025.

"Government will avail the requisite quantities for the school feeding programme and will prioritise payment of Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM)."

Government has sent out a US$3.3 billion begging bowl to the international community which Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe urged to "lend a hand for life-saving support."