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The Aid Pros Blog

A collection of news and comment of interest to people working in the world of humanitarian aid.   Subscribe

Does The World Face Another Food Crisis?

Two experts on food security, author Raj Patel and WFP's Nancy Roman, went on NPR radio this week to talk about recent hikes in food prices, which are leading some in the media to ask whether we could soon be facing a food crisis similar to the one which pushed millions into hunger in 2008.

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IT Officers Learn How To Handle Emergencies

There may be no substitute for experience, but an emergency simulation in Pisa recently gave WFP IT officers the next best thing. The exercise tested their ability to plan, implement, and budget in the middle of rapidly evolving crisis conditions like a natural disaster or violent conflict.

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Food assistance must deliver maximum nutritional benefit

Even if people have enough to eat, they will become malnourished if the food they eat does not provide them with the right amounts of micronutrients to meet their daily nutritional requirements. Here's a look at the range of highly nutritious products WFP uses to tailor its food assistance to the specific needs of its beneficiaries.

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Building Momentum for a Global Nutrition Movement

Child malnutrition took another step towards becoming a top global priority in September at an event hosted by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin on the margins of the UN Millennium Goals Summit in New York.

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How Food Assistance Can Contribute to Environmental Protection

Food insecurity often goes hand-in-hand with environmental degradation. If the land is degraded or prone to natural disasters, less food is produced and significant food shortages can occur. Food/cash-for-assets programmes in various countries are a useful tool to enable communities to restore their environment.

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Satellite Imagery Gives WFP Extra Edge In Pakistan

A new set of maps produced thanks to satellite imagery provided by the Italian Space Agency are helping WFP teams in Pakistan deliver food and other humanitarian supplies more effectively. In many cases, these maps are helping to save valuable time and resources.

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Three Waves of Innovation in Food Assistance

A new book by WFP’s Steven Were Omamo, Ugo Gentilini and Susanna Sandström explains the revolution that has positioned WFP as a catalyst of practical hunger innovations, and maps the fundamental changes in the way the organization implements programs, shapes key policy debates, and engages strategically with actors and partners.

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Simulation Exercises....Why Not Just Read The Manual?

It’s a good question – with an even better answer. After 14 days, people remember 90 percent of what they have done  as opposed to only 10 percent of what they have read. A new initiative by WFP's Asia Regional Bureau combines practice with technology, to prepare staff for emergencies.

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How to handle assistance to returning refugees: The Burundi case

In partnership with CARITAS and UNHCR, WFP is using a distribution system in Burundi that enables beneficiaries to receive smaller rations closer to their home. By providing a discreet ration card instead of a large package of food, beneficiaries are protected against risks associated with carrying large quantities of food over long distances.

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Howard Buffett: Small, large farmers both boost global food security

WFP's Ambassador Against Hunger, Howard Buffett, argues that both commercial production and smallholder farming are essential to end world hunger. This article was first published by the Omaha World Herald on 23 July 2010

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