The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said today it’s feeding displaced persons at Bangui International Airport in the Central African Republic. This was the first distribution of food in three weeks at the airport because of violence in the nation’s capital.
WFP says food will be distributed to all 100,000 people at the airport over the next 10 days. French and African peacekeeping troops are providing security.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
The United Nations, in a report released today, said that “access to food remains limited” for those who have fled the wave of violence in South Sudan.
There is fear of a malnutrition crisis emerging in the conflict-torn country, and this could claim more lives than the combat itself.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
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One of the largest conflicts in the world is taking place in the Central African Republic (CAR). Armed groups are terrorizing people across the country. Almost half the population has fled their homes and need humanitarian aid. With this outbreak of violence has emerged another enemy for the people: hunger.
This conflict gets far less attention than others, but President Obama did address the people of the CAR in a message of peace in December. This peace plan must be reinforced quickly with food aid or more desperation and chaos will follow.
Read the full article at The Huffington Post
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The United Nations said today the numbers of hungry and displaced persons in the Central African Republic (CAR) is increasing rapidly. Lack of funds may tragically prevent most from receiving food aid by next month.
WFP says it’s “facing immediate shortfalls from January. From February there will be a near complete break in stocks (90% shortfall).” The UN food agency relies entirely on voluntary funds. Without donations food supplies will simply run out.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
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When Congress gets back to work this month they need to finish the Farm Bill. A vital part of this legislation is the Food for Peace program, the largest source of funding for international food aid.
The UN World Food Programme, for example, depends on Food for Peace donations for many of its relief operations. It’s critical Food for Peace receive as much funding as possible, especially with hunger emergencies from the war in Syria, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Afghanistan and other areas.
In the following Q and A, David Kauck of Save the Children discusses what would be a good policy on the Farm Bill regarding Food for Peace. Kauck is Save the Children‘s Associate Vice President for Hunger and Livelihoods.
How does Save the Children feel about funding for the Food for Peace program?
Save the Children is strongly supportive of the Food for Peace program, which provides food aid to vulnerable children and families in the poorest countries in times of humanitarian crises or to tackle chronic hunger. However, we also acknowledge that the cost-effectiveness of these programs could be significantly improved with a few reforms (see our response to Question 2).
What would be a good plan for Food for Peace in 2014 on the Farm Bill?
For several years, Save the Children’s has advocated for common sense changes to U.S. food aid or the Food for Peace program. These changes would include eliminating restrictions on the use of local and regional food procurement; repealing inefficient shipping requirements; and scaling down food aid monetization over a period of time, accompanied by an equivalent increase in development assistance.
Support from the White House coupled with U.S. budget constraints posed by sequestration last year is causing bipartisan support for reform to grow. Early research shows that the reforms could provide considerable cost savings resulting in more aid to more children, greater flexibility to use the most appropriate approach available to assist people in need, and faster humanitarian response times. The cost-savings generated from reforms, when reinvested back into food aid, will provide food for an additional 2-4 million children and adults. The bottom line: food aid reform is good for kids.
What would be a good figure for the new Farm Bill?
We have copied and pasted below an excerpt from our FY 2014 appropriations priorities document, which details what we have asked for Food for Peace.
Food for Peace, P.L. 480 – Fund at $1.466 billion, including $35 million to reduce monetization – consistent with the FY14 Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill. The Food for the Peace (FFP) program is the primary vehicle providing U.S. emergency food aid and multiyear food security assistance to millions of children and families every year. These programs play a vital role in preventing famines, reversing acute and chronic child malnutrition, addressing displacement by conflict or natural disaster, and enabling vulnerable populations to build resilience against future shocks. Given the current high demand posed by Syria, Philippines and other crisis areas, we urge Congress to avoid any cuts to FFP whatsoever. We also urge Congress to support the Senate funding of $35 million within the overall Title II funding to reduce the need to monetize commodities to fund programs, which would increase chronic hunger program efficiency by 30 percent and result in reaching 800,000 more children in need.
And combined with the recommended efficiency improvement (allowing local purchase, some of which they did in Typhoon Haiyan relief) would make the money go even further?
Using cash transfers or buying food regionally or locally would drastically reduce the time and costs of transportation, shipping and handling and would result in up to $165 million in cost savings. The cost savings could be reinvested back into food aid, providing food to an additional 2-4 million children and families each year, at no extra cost. In addition, the food could be delivered three months faster than it takes today. Getting food to severely malnourished children more quickly is critical when they are on the brink of death.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would also have greater resources available to secure and deliver more nutritious products. For example, USAID may include more ready-to-eat Plumpy Nut packets, which are filled with a nutrient-rich peanut paste that gives undernourished children a healthy boost. Indeed, reforms could create even more incentives for U.S. companies to produce more nutritious kinds of food aid.
Visit the Bread for the World advocacy action center for the Farm Bill.
Read the Q and A at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
The horrific numbers increase daily from the war in Syria. The UN now says that 6.3 million Syrians need life-saving food aid. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) requires $2 billion to feed them in 2014. If this war continues, these numbers will go up again.
“This is the worst humanitarian crisis that we have seen in decades, with every day more vulnerable Syrians pushed into hunger,” says Muhannad Hadi, Syria coordinator for WFP.
The U.S. Congress needs to act and boost our Food for Peace program to meet this Syrian emergency as well as others. As the new year approaches, the Philippines, Central African Republic, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan have been struck by conflict or natural disasters.
The Farm Bill legislation, which Congress will take up again in January, is where Food for Peace funding is decided.
WFP depends on Food for Peace as its largest single donor. It’s crucial that Congress support Food for Peace when you consider the ongoing humanitarian emergencies.World Food Day
David Kauck of Save the Children points out that reforms to Food for Peace must also be passed. “These changes would include eliminating restrictions on the use of local and regional food procurement; repealing inefficient shipping requirements; and scaling down food aid monetization over a period of time, accompanied by an equivalent increase in development assistance.”
When a disaster occurs, such as the typhoon in the Philippines, aid groups can sometimes use local food sources to feed those in need. Aid groups must have no restrictions on using this option.
Kauck adds, “Early research shows that the reforms could provide considerable cost savings resulting in more aid to more children, greater flexibility to use the most appropriate approach available to assist people in need, and faster humanitarian response times.”
The Farm Bill impacts both our domestic and foreign policies. A strong Farm Bill feeds the hungry both at home and abroad. Only in this way can we be strong as a nation, and also further global peace and stability.
Food aid is the only thing that will save children from damaging and even deadly malnutrition. Food is a force that can help restore peace.
We also know there is enough food on the planet for everyone, and no one, especially children, should be without.
Let’s remember that our decisions on food aid policy can change lives and make or break an entire generation in whole countries and regions. So let’s take the right action on the Farm Bill. Let us choose Food for Peace.
Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
With every new year comes our famous, or sometimes infamous, resolutions. Here is one though that I think everyone can happily stay the course with: Charity Miles.
It’s exercising for a cause, one greater than yourself. You just download the free Charity Miles app (www.charitymiles.org) onto your smartphone. Bring it with you as you walk, run or bike. You just have to select a charity, click start, and begin your workout.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
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The UN World Food Programme (WFP) appealed today for US $ 107 million to feed those starving in the conflict-torn Central African Republic. The UN food agency relies on voluntary donations from governments and the public.
WFP is planning to feed at least 1.25 million people, many who have been displaced from violence by armed groups terrorizing the country.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
The UN World Food Programme (WFP), in a report released today, says it urgently needs funds for its relief mission in the Central African Republic. WFP says it’s “facing immediate shortfalls from January. From February there will be a near complete break in stocks (90% shortfall).”
The UN food agency relies entirely on voluntary donations. As conflict has escalated in the Central African Republic, so too has the hunger crisis.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
In late 1944 two journalists traveled to war-devastated Finnmark in the northern part of Norway. What they saw was shocking. The Nazi Germans had scorched the earth while retreating from the area, destroying homes and buildings and leaving tens of thousands of Finnmark’s residents out in the cold to suffer.
Amid so much destruction there was a humanitarian nightmare. The Allies, commanded by General Eisenhower, shipped in aid. The two journalists continued their tour of the war-torn province, surveying the destruction. But even in the darkest of times, there was room for a little miracle. In one town they came across a magical sight: a Christmas party for children.
The News of Norway printed, “The kids drank milk and consumed cookies to their hearts’ content, danced around the Christmas tree and played games almost like in peacetime.” The journalists wrote that the arrival of relief supplies had brought hope to Finnmark.
Children need to be spared the ravages of war and other disasters. This holiday season please remember the children and think of ways to help them for the coming new year.
You can support the petition to provide school meals for all the world’s children through the U.S. McGovern-Dole program. Or help out the charity Save the Children whose grand history includes relief work in Finnmark. Or assist the relief effort for Haiti and Pakistan by contacting the World Food Programme.
Today, there are millions of children caught in war or disaster zones seeking their own miracle for the holidays and the new year.
For amid all the harshness and cruelty in this world, one thing remains the same. The most powerful force is goodwill and generosity, particularly for children. This should not be forgotten. And amid all the political debate on what to do about this country or that country, feeding and educating all children across the globe is what can make a difference.
On this holiday we can start a plan to give children this gift.
Back to Finnmark for a moment: A collection of clothing had taken place all across America and the clothes were shipped in to Finnmark as part of the relief effort.
One of the Norwegian journalists, Jorgen Juve, recounted a story of a child in the area of the Tana River in Finnmark. The clothing supplies had reached their targets and the girl, named Liv, was smoothing out her new blue coat. The little girl reached in her coat and pulled out a note that read “R. Minneapolis.” She looked at the reporter and said, “Now, I am dressed for the winter.”
Filed under global hunger
Author William Lambers 