Cash crunch hits food programme

Many of the United Nations World Food Programme's (WFP) school feeding projects are on hold in the region and globally due to a fund crunch caused by the economic recession.

The WFP provides school meals to an average of 22 million children every year in 70 countries and in 2009, it also provided take-home rations to 2.8 million girls and 1.9 million boys.

In 2009, the WFP procured food in developing countries for a total of $772 million (Dh2.83 billion). However, due to the recent economic meltdown and its after-effects many of the school feeding projects are now on hold until the funds can be procured.

As part of a global bid to raise funds for the WFP's school feeding programmes, tens of thousands of people across the globe joined the WFP in a walk yesterday to raise awareness and money to feed hungry school children. The event, now in its eighth year, took place across all 24 time zones of the globe, beginning in Australia and ending in Samoa, taking in more than 70 countries. Thousands of people took to the streets from the Philippines to Malawi, Portugal to the Netherlands. However, Dubai which is also supporting the cause in association with the International Humanitarian City, held the event at The Dubai Mall on Friday and hundreds of residents of the emirate participated in the walk to end hunger.

Talking about the projects that are on hold in the region and globally, Abeer Etefa, spokesperson, WFP regional bureau, Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, told Emirates Business: "The WFP has a number of school feeding projects around the world. In Yemen, and in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, WFP school feeding projects are on hold as a result of the poor funding situation this year as 2010 is coming on the heels of the financial crisis and is a difficult financial year for many of WFP's traditional donor countries."

According to the WFP, about 66 million primary school age children attend school hungry across the developing world. It is more difficult for children without adequate food to learn, which means they lack the same opportunity for personal development as those who are nourished – resulting in poverty for their family, community and country.

Etefa said: "As part of our school feeding programme, children are fed breakfast, lunch or both in school. Meals can be prepared at the school, in the community or be delivered from centralised kitchens. Some programmes provide complete meals, others provide high-energy biscuits or snacks. When combined with de-worming and micronutrient fortification, school meals offer important nutritional benefits for the kids."

According to the WFP, these school meals can break the cycle of hunger, poverty and child exploitation in the world's poorest areas. They can also reach children affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, the disabled and former child soldiers. In fact, these school meals are a major incentive for poor families to send their children, particularly girls, to school.

As a result, school enrolment and attendance rates are much higher in schools where meals are provided. School feeding programmes can contribute substantially to achieving the millennium development goals and in developing a country's human capacity.

Etefa added: "WFP now provides meals to more than 22 million children in schools, about half of whom are girls, in some 70 countries. We need $3.2bn per year to reach all of the 66 million children who attend school hungry across the developing world. Just $1.1bn will allow us to reach 22 million children in Africa. This year, the WFP plans to feed more than 90 million people in 73 of the world's poorest countries."

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