Zimbabwe needs 718 million dollars in aid to stave off hunger for six million people amid a "staggering" humanitarian crisis, the United Nations said Monday.

In addition to the severe food shortages, six million people have no access to safe water or sanitation, while 600 000 families will need farm aid for the upcoming planting season, the United Nations said.

"The country's humanitarian needs remain staggering," it said in a report.

"There is the concern that, unless conditions change, outbreaks of water-borne diseases at the onset of the next rainy season could lead to new cholera cases and higher humanitarian needs."

Since August last year, nearly 100 000 Zimbabweans have caught cholera, leading to more than 4000 recorded deaths.

Last year, the UN appealed for 550-million dollars to assist Zimbabwe, but this has been revised upwards as the crisis has worsened. So far 246-million dollars has been given, about one third of what is needed, the UN report said.

The UN's humanitarian coordinator in Zimbabwe, Augustino Zacarias, urged donors to help the country as the new unity government struggles to meet the nation's needs.

"It is imperative that all partners, particulary donors... generously provide financial support to the implementation of the programmes," Zacarias said.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai joined long-time rival President Robert Mugabe to form an inclusive government in February, but has struggled to win donor support to revive an economy shattered by nearly a decade of hyperinflation.

A French aid team is on a four-day mission to Zimbabwe to find ways of supporting the country, the embassy's first secretary Stephane Toulet told AFP.

"They are looking into areas like health, water, energy and tourism," Toulet said. "This is to help Zimbabwe get out of its problems."

Western countries have so far proved reluctant to give aid directly to the government, demanding that Mugabe take more political reforms to shore up respect for human rights and media freedom, while curbing politically motivated attacks in the country.

The unity government says it needs 8.5 billion dollars over three years to revive the economy and jump start the civil service. So far it has won about one billion dollars in loans from around Africa, mainly for the private sector.