The World Food Programme (WFP) is an agency of the United Nations which distributes food commodities to support development projects, to long-term refugees and displaced persons and as emergency food assistance in situations of natural and man-made disasters. Its headquarters is in Rome, Italy.

Development projects now constitute less than 20% of WFP programmes, as emergency and protracted refugee situations result in increasing demands for WFP programmes and resources. The WFP operates exclusively on contributions of commodities and money donated by governments.

In 2000 3.5 million tons of food aid was distributed to 80 countries by the WFP at a cost of US$1.7 billion. Of this, 93% came from 12 donors:

1. USA - $796 million
2. Japan - $260m
3. EU - $118m
4. Netherlands - $63m
5. UK - $60m
6. Australia - $54m
7. Canada - $52m
8. Germany - $47m
9. Denmark - $42m
10. Norway - $33m
11. Sweden - $31m
12. France - $26m
13. Others - $125m

In 2003, the World Food Programme, and in particular US Aid, were criticised by the government of Zambia who have alleged [1] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/listings/programme.shtml?day=yesterday&filename=20040913/20040913_2330_4544_25750_50) that the United States has used food aid to introduce Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) throughout the world, so that the European Union, where there is little market for GMOs, can be persuaded to adopt them. There are concerns that the US is using the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake / tsunami crisis to dump GM food aid on afflicted populations, especially in Somalia, as happened in 2002 in southern Africa[2] (http://www.organicconsumers.org/biod/africa050404.cfm). As in 2002, there is sufficient GM-free food available for local purchase and distribution to the hungry.

See also

Food security

External links

• World Food Programme (http://www.wfp.org/) (official site)

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