World Food Programme

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(Redirected from Food aid)

The World Food Programme (WFP) is an agency of the United Nations which distributes food commodities to support development projects, to long-term refugees and displaced persons and as emergency food assistance in situations of natural and man-made disasters. Its headquarters is in Rome, Italy.

Development projects now constitute less than 20% of WFP programmes, as emergency and protracted refugee situations result in increasing demands for WFP programmes and resources. The WFP operates exclusively on donations of commodities and money.

In 2000 3.5 million tons of food aid was distributed to 80 countries by the WFP at a cost of US$1.7 billion. Of this, 93% came from 12 donors:

USA - $796 million
Japan - $260m
EU - $118m
Netherlands - $63m
UK - $60m
Australia - $54m
Canada - $52m
Germany - $47m
Denmark - $42m
Norway - $33m
Sweden - $31m
France - $26m
Others - $125m

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Grassroots Efforts

In 2004, the WFP tasked Auburn University with heading the first student-led War on Hunger effort. Auburn founded the Committee of 19 which has not only led campus and community hunger awareness events, but also developed a War on Hunger model for use on campuses across the country.

In 2006, the Committee of 19 hosted a War on Hunger Summit at which representatives from 29 universities were in attendance. At this summit, the model for a student-led War on Hunger initiative was presented with strong support.

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