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| "With hunger on the rise, we are doing our best to stream incoming contributions to the people most in need in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean," said WFP Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. (File photo) | |
ROME, Italy, August 13, 2008 - As nearly one billion poor people worldwide struggle to survive the unrelenting global high food and fuel price crisis, WFP announced the roll-out of a US$214 million package directed at 16 hunger hotspots, including Haiti.
"With hunger on the rise, we are doing our best to stream incoming contributions to the people most in need in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean," said WFP Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. "It is essential to launch a bold new set of responses to stem a full-blown hunger and nutritional crisis."
"Food prices are not abating, and the world's most vulnerable have exhausted their coping strategies. Our action plan is targeted and customised to help the most vulnerable meet their urgent needs."
The US$214 million will provide critical assistance by providing life-saving food rations to highly vulnerable groups; continuing to feed school-aged children even while school is out; giving supplemental food to pregnant women and young children whose mental and physical development is at stake; expanding food assistance to urban areas hardest hit by high food prices, including through cash and vouchers; supporting small farmers and markets in countries where WFP will purchase food assistance locally -- creating a win-win solution.
Haiti will get US$8 million of the funds.
"Civil unrest remains a serious concern in Haiti, where WFP has fast-tracked efforts to reach as many hungry people as possible. Building on an initial response following the April food riots, WFP is expanding nutritional, education and socio-economic safety nets in urban and rural areas, for 2.5 million people," the WFP said.
The increased cost of food has also had a direct impact on WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency. Operational costs have ballooned, and the organisation's base budget - the funding required to reach 90 million people worldwide in 2008 - has risen from US$3.1 billion to nearly US$6 billion. So far, the voluntarily-funded agency has raised about half of its budget for this year.
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