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World Food Programme:

GS Paper 3:

Topics Covered: Food security related issues.

 

Context:

India signed an agreement with the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) for the distribution of 50,000 MT of wheat that it has committed to sending Afghanistan as part of a humanitarian assistance.

  • According to the MoU, the wheat will be taken through Pakistan to the Afghan border crossing and handed over to WFP officials in Kandahar beginning February 22.
  • The wheat will eventually be divided into five batches of 10,000 MT, to be distributed across the country on approximately 200 trucks that are run by WFP.

 

What is UN WFP?

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.

Born in 1961, the WFP strives to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, with the ultimate goal in mind of eliminating the need for food aid itself.

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

  • WFP food aid is also directed to fight micronutrient deficiencies, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, and combat disease, including HIV and AIDS.

 

What is “World Hunger Map”?

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba is working with WFP to develop digital “World Hunger Map”.

  • The map will help to monitor global hunger and operations to end scourge by 2030 which is one of UN’s key Sustainable Development goals.
  • It also aims to boost efficiency of interventions and shorten emergency response times.

 

Insta Curious:

TheWFP runs its own logistics network inside Afghanistan, partnering with civil society groups, and has launched a global campaign for enough food and aid for the population facing malnutrition — estimated to be half the population or 22 million Afghans.

 

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. WFP was established by?
  2. Objectives?
  3. World Hunger Map.
  4. Members of the United Nations Development Group.
  5. About Nobel Peace Prize.

Mains Link:

Discuss the objectives of UN’s World Food Programme.

Sources: the Hindu.