Nobel Peace Prize, 2020

The Nobel Prize for Peace, 2020 has been awarded to the World Food Programme. The WFP has been honoured with the prize for its role towards contributing better conditions for peace in conflict affected areas. It has been a driving force in preventing hunger in war zones.

World Food Programme

The United Nations World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. The programme provides food to 91.4 million people spread in 83 countries every year. It is a member of the UNDG (United Nations Development Group).

The programme was established in 1963 at the Food and Agriculture Organization held in 1960. It aims to provide food aid in emergency situations and also build resilience for food security.

Initiatives by WFP

• In 2008, the World Food Programme organised purchase for progress (P4P) project. It aimed at assisting smallholding formers by providing them opportunities to access agricultural market. It mainly focused African countries. The program was a huge success acid produced 366 hundred thousand tons of food and generated 148 million USD.
• Take home ration programs and school feeding programs have been launched in 71 countries.
• In 2013, the organisation started providing nutritionally enriched ready to use therapeutic foods in around 75 countries. This was done mainly to address malnourishment among children.
• In 2017, the program launched building blocks program. It distributed money for food assistance. It was launched targeting Syrian refugees in Jordan.
• In 2020 e the organisation is feeding more than 12 million yemenis. 80% of them are from areas controlled by Houthi forces.

Focus Areas

The main Focus areas of world food programme are climate action disaster risk reduction, gender equality, nutrition, smallholder market support, social protection and safety nets sustainable livelihoods and ecosystems.

Country Strategy Plan for India (2019-23)

This plan is being implemented by the world food programme in India. It enables the most vulnerable people of the country to meet the minimum nutrition and food requirements. Also, the programme aims to reduce high risk of malnutrition in adolescent girls, women and children and improve their nutrition by 2025.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2020