HISTORYThe World Food Programme (WFP) is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest

humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people

per year, 58 million of whom are children. From its headquarters in Rome and more than 80 country offices

around the world, WFP works to help people who are unable to produce or obtain enough food for themselves

and their families. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive

Committee.

The WFP was first established at the 1960 Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Conference, when

George McGovern, director of the US Food for Peace Programmes, proposed establishing a multilateral food

aid programme. According to the ref.4 it was in 1961. WFP was formally established in 1963 by the FAO and

the United Nations General Assembly on a three-year experimental basis. In 1965, the programme was

extended to a continuing basis.

d Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides

food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children. From its headquarters in

Rome and more than 80 country offices around the world, WFP works to help people who are unable to

produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. It is a member of the United Nations

Development Group and part of its Executive Committee.

The WFP was first established at the 1960 Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Conference, when

George McGovern, director of the US Food for Peace Programmes, proposed establishing a multilateral food

aid programme. According to the ref.4 it was in 1961. WFP was formally established in 1963 by the FAO and

the United Nations General Assembly on a three-year experimental basis. In 1965, the programme was

extended to a continuing basis.

GOALS OF WFP

WFP strives to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, with the ultimate goal in mind of

eliminating the need for food aid itself.

The core strategies behind WFP activities, according to its mission statement, are to

provide food aid to:

save lives in refugee and other emergency situations

improve the nutrition and quality of life of the most vulnerable people at critical times

in their lives

help build assets and promote the self-reliance of poor people and communities,

particularly through labour-intensive works programmes

WFP food aid is also directed to fight micronutrient deficiencies, reduce child mortality,

improve maternal health, and combat disease, including HIV and AIDS. Food-for-work

programmes help promote environmental and economic stability and agricultural

production

WFP focuses its food assistance on those who are most vulnerable to hunger, which

most frequently means women, children, the sick and the elderly. In fact, part of the

response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake consisted of distributing food aid to women as

experience built up over almost 5 decades of working in emergency situations has

demonstrated that giving food to women helps to ensure that it is spread evenly

among all household members. In 2005, food assistance was provided to 58.2 million

children, 30 percent of whom were under five. In 2006, WFP assisted 58.8 million

hungry children. School-feeding and/or take home ration programmes in 71 countries

help students focus on their studies and encourage parents to send their children,

especially girls, to school.

A C T I V I T I E S

In 2006, WFP distributed 4 million metric tons of food to 87.8 million people in 78

countries; 63.4 million beneficiaries were aided in emergency operations, including

victims of conflict, natural disasters and economic failure in countries like Somalia,

Lebanon, and Sudan. Direct expenditures reached US$2.9 billion, with the most money

being spent on Emergency Operations and Immediate Response Account. WFP’s largest

country operation in 2006 was Sudan, where the Programme reached 6.4 million people.

The second and third largest WFP operations were, respectively, Ethiopia and Kenya. In

2007, WFP's Sudan operation will require some US$ 685 million to provide food

assistance to 5.5 million people (2.8 million in Darfur alone).

Not all food aid is international. Sometimes the World Food Program with the help of

numerous NGOs organizes food distribution within a country. In Sudan, for instance, the

WFP buys about 100,000 metric tons of food – mostly sorghum – from the country's own

production in the eastern and central part of the country. That amount constituted one-

sixth of the annual requirement of 632,000 metric tons for 2008.[7]

DONATIONS

WFP operations are funded by donations from world governments, corporations

and private donors. In 2006, the Programme received $2.9 billion in contributions.

All donations are voluntary. The organization's administrative costs are only seven

percent—one of the lowest and best among aid agencies. On 6 November 2006,

Josette Sheeran was appointed to replace James T. Morris as Executive Director of

WFP by the Secretary-General of the UN and Director-General of FAO in April 2007.

Previously, Sheeran served as the Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and

Agricultural Affairs United States Department of State and as the managing editor of

the Washington Times.

In July 2009, the agency reported that it was forced to cut services due to

insufficient funding.[10] These include regions of Uganda, Chad, Liberia, Sierra

Leone, Ivory Coast and Guinea. The BBC reports that this shortfall is due to the

current economic crisis which has increased the number of people in need and

reduced the amount richer nations are willing to donate. The agency says it needs

$6.7 billion in the current financial year. However, UN members have promised only

$3.7 billion, and have actually provided only $1.8 billion, barely a quarter of the total

the WFP asked for.

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency. We fight hunger

worldwide, delivering food wherever and whenever it is needed most. In 2010, WFP aims

to feed more than 90 million people in 73 countries. As an organization that is completely

reliant on voluntary donations, WFP needs the help of generous people like you.

In this section, you'll learn how you can help us in the fight against hunger. Whether

you're a person wishing to make a donation, someone wanting to help spread the word

through social networking, or a company interested in partnering with us, you'll find

information here to get you started.

Contact Numbers:

Office

Christa Räder

Country Representative

World Food Programme (WFP)

IDB Bhaban, E/8-A, Rokeya Sharani

Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar

Dhaka 1207

Bangladesh

Phone: +880 2 8116344-48

Fax: +880 2 8113147

CountryDirector.Dhaka@wfp.org