Food Assistance in Somalia - World Food Programme 2006

Somalia is one of the most food-insecure countries in the world. Global acute malnutrition rates are estimated at about 20 percent in some areas. Conflict and insecurity continue to limit food availability by destroying assets and household food stores and disrupting commodity trade networks. Food access is especially difficult for displaced and vulnerable populations particularly during periods of stress triggered by natural disasters and human-induced crisis. Signs of deteriorating food security have prompted the World Food Programme (WFP) to urgently expand food distributions to reach 2.4 million people from the original 700 000 caseload. CIDA's contribution is supporting WFP to help provide much needed food assistance to vulnerable populations in Somalia. The project is providing emergency food rations as well as nutritional support to the most vulnerable populations including pregnant and lactating women. Project activities also focus on supporting the recovery of conflict- and disaster-affected people through food-for-assets and food-for-training initiatives as well as improving primary school enrolment and attendance by providing food support for children.