LUSAKA, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. government has given Zambia 93,820 tons of food aid and humanitarian assistance valued at 63 million dollars in total, local media said Thursday.

    Laura Gritz with the U.S. Embassy in the country was cited by Zambia News and Information Services as saying the assistance would be channeled through the UN World Food Program and a U.S. food security program.

    The food aid will help an estimated 1.4 million Zambians in rural areas recover from the effects of last farming season's crop failure due to severe drought that hit most part of southern Africa.

    In November 2005, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa declared thehunger situation in the country a "national disaster," paving the way for mobilization of international assistance. It was estimated that about 1.7 million Zambians are faced with food shortage in the country.

    Gritz pointed out that the U.S. food aid and humanitarian assistance represented 78 percent of the Zambian government's estimated requirement. Enditem