The World Food Programme (WFP) has handed over nine off-road vehicles and digital media equipment to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in a bid to strengthen the country's social protection system.

The donation, valued at just under US$230,000 includes five Toyota Prados, four Land Cruisers and a digital camera.

Public Service Minister Edgar Moyo said the vehicles would play a key role in modernising operations and improving service delivery.

"We gladly accept the nine vehicles, which will go a long way to support our social protection programmes and facilitate programme implementation," he said during the handover ceremony.

Moyo added that the vehicles would help the Ministry reach remote communities as it works to complete the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and transition to NDS2 under Vision 2030.

WFP Country Representative Barbara Clemens said the donation underlined the agency's continued partnership with Zimbabwe which has spanned more than two decades.

"These nine vehicles are therefore an investment in delivery capacity, but they have become more than just vehicles, they are tools of service and impact," she said.

She added that the fleet would enable the Ministry to deliver essential social protection and assistance services more effectively particularly to vulnerable households in hard-to-reach areas.