World Food Programme (WFP) – USPC Prelims

World Food Programme(WFP):
  • The WFP is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations.
    Both the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) founded the WFP in 1961.
  • Aim: To eradicate hunger and malnutrition with the ultimate goal of eliminating the need for food aid itself.
    Significance: It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive Committee.
  • Members: The Executive Board of WFP consists of 36 states members. The board provides intergovernmental support, policy direction and supervision of the activities of WFP.
  • Funding: Voluntary donations from world governments, corporations and private donors will entirely fund the operations of WFP.
  • Nobel Prize: WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for:
    • WFP’s contribution in combating hunger.
    • Work of WFP towards bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas.
    • Its role as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.
  • Headquarters: Rome, Italy
World Food Program in India:
WFP has been working in India since 1963, with work transitioning from food distribution to technical assistance since the country achieved self-sufficiency in cereal production. Main areas are:
  • Transforming the targeted public distribution system by making it more efficient and transparent.
  • Fortification of government distributed food to boost nutritional value.
  • Mapping and monitoring of food insecurity.
  • Strategy Plan for India: According to the country strategy plan for India (2019 – 2023), WFP aims to:
    • Enable the most vulnerable people of India to meet their minimum food and nutrition requirements throughout the year.
    • Enable people with a high risk of malnutrition, especially women, children and adolescent girls, to have improved nutrition by 2025.

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