UN World Food Programme tries to stop “silent tsunami”

According to the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Josette Sheeran, the food hunger crisis has become a “silent tsunami” causing violence, corruption, and starvation in more than 40 countries worldwide.

In her address to the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Sheeran attributed this crisis to the increase in natural disasters as well as soaring food prices. “Hunger is not a solely humanitarian challenge,” said Sheeran, who explained the effect that unstable foreign governments have on the United States such as the export bans and trade restrictions passed in recent years.

Sheeran spoke of the World Food Programme’s efforts to establish school feeding programs to enable girls to attend schools their families would usually not let them attend. Also, the WFP has created similar programs for AIDS orphans that also gives them extra rations at the end of the week so families are more likely to take them home.

Specialists have helped WFP health workers develop “power packed food” for infants and toddlers to prevent undernutrition using locally grown crops, Sheeran said. In countries like Egypt, India, and Haiti, this has provided “the greatest impact for the least investment.”

Sheeran hopes that the World Food Programme will help supply the world with twice the amount of food currently produced by 2050 and will provide opportunities, specifically for African farmers, to make their move onto the world stage as major food producers.