WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

WFP is the food aid arm of the United Nations system. Food aid is one of the many instruments that can help to promote food security, which is defined as access of all people at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. ¹ The policies governing the use of World Food Programme food aid must be oriented towards the objective of Rising hunger and poverty. The ultimate objective of food aid should be the elimination of the need for food aid.

Targeted interventions are needed to help to improve the lives of the poorest people – people who, either permanently or during crisis periods, are unable to produce enough food or do not have the resources to obtain the food that they and their households require for active and healthy lives.

Consistent with its mandate, which also reflects the principle of universality, WFP will continue to:

• Use food aid to support economic and social development;
• Meet refugee and other emergency food needs, and the associated logistics support; and
• Promote world food security in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations and FAO.

The core policies and strategies that govern WFP activities are to provide food aid:

• To save lives in refugee and other emergency situations;
• To improve the nutrition and quality of life of the most vulnerable people at critical times in their lives; and
• To help build assets and promote the self-reliance of poor people and communities, mainly through labor-intensive works programs.