Australia to Give Aid to Zimbabwe Farmers to Boost Food Output

By Brian Latham
Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- The Australian government plans to provide $7 million of support to Zimbabwe farmers during the 2009-2010 summer crop season in an effort to boost food production in the southern African nation.
The money will be channeled through the World Bank’s Global Food Crisis Response Program, John Courtney, Australia’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, said in an e-mailed statement today. The program will distribute corn seeds to more than 300,000 poor farmers who own smallholdings across Zimbabwe, Courtney said.
Australia will provide a further A$5 million ($4.5 million) to the World Food Program to feed hungry Zimbabweans, Courtney added.
To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Latham in Durban at blatham@bloomberg.net.