HARARE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's food security outlook is showing a notable improvement, driven by an above-average harvest, stable local currency, and several resilience interventions across the country, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has said.

In its food security and markets monitoring report for July 2025, released on Friday, the WFP said there is widespread availability of staple commodities in both rural and urban markets in Zimbabwe, with maize meal accessible in about 97 percent of locations and prices remaining stable or lower than last year.

Livestock conditions have also improved, supported by climate-smart breeding, vaccination campaigns, and drought mitigation efforts, the UN agency said, adding that remittances, cash crop sales, and village business units continue to support household incomes across districts in the country.

The report noted that despite these gains, challenges persist for youth and women in accessing productive resources, underscoring the need for speeding up inclusive support and targeted interventions.

Maize is a major crop in Zimbabwe, with an annual grain requirement of approximately 2.2 million metric tons. Last month, China handed over a new batch of food assistance to Zimbabwe to boost the southern African country's food security. ■