“World Food Day is actually’No Food Day’ for almost one out of every six people around the world this year,” said United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Josette Sheeran. He adds, “we can change this – so our challenge is to turn ‘No Food Day’ back into’World Food Day’”.
Last year, governments responded with record donations to WFP, contributing more than US$5 billion to support us at a time when high global food prices were spreading misery, and threatening instability as hungry communities took to the streets in protest.
Sheeran added that for decades, WFP has been able to feed around ten per cent of the world’s hungriest men, women and children. As an agency that responds to emergency needs, WFP has also had to meet many unforeseen demands in 2009, such as the response to the recent floods in the Philippines.
The organization has established a number of programmes, including school meals, food-for-work and food-for training activities, maternal and child nutrition and food assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs). At the same time, WFP is always ready to support national disaster response efforts, as demonstrated by our ongoing emergency operations to assist the victims of tropical storms in Greater Manila and Luzon. (WFP)
