World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

A young man from a food insecure family in Madaniyat villages takes part in cleaning the region’s most important irrigation canal that supplies water to 25 multi-ethnic villages. Disputes over water have repeatedly led to quarrels and even ethnic tension. The joint community effort – supported by WFP with food contributions - to clean the canal will improve the rural infrastructure while promoting peace and reconciliation.  

Through its Food for Work projects, WFP offers vulnerable families an opportunity to get temporary employment by participating in creating important assets for themselves and their community. Food is distributed to the participants according to their degree of participation in the project.  

Since the start of the Food for Work programme in mid 2o1o, WFP has supported a range of infrastructure projects, including reforestation, securing of river banks, rehabilitating irrigation systems, and protecting pasture land from erosion in the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2010, over 8,20o volunteers - representing some 41,000 household members – have received more than 1,890 metric tons of food in remuneration for their work to improve their own lives and that of their communities.

Food for Work projects not only make a lasting contribution towards improving productivity and ultimately livelihoods, but also promote reconciliation and dialogue amongst participants of diverse ethnic background. 

Under its Food for Work programme, WFP is providing an incentive for food insecure households to volunteer their participation in projects such as rural infrastructure improvements, natural disaster mitigation, re-forestation, and environmental protection.

Food for Work aims at ultimately improving agricultural production through the creation of assets and safety nets. This group of women is benefiting from a vegetable production project in Naryn province jointly implemented by WFP, UNIFEM, FAO and the World Bank through the non-governmental organization Community Development Alliance.

In Kyrgyzstan, Food for Work projects help improve agricultural production across the country, while promoting peace, reconciliation, and enhancing measures to mitigate the destructive effects of frequent natural disasters.  Active participants from vulnerable rural households receive food in remuneration for their contribution to the projects.

Food for Work projects empower people to improve their lives and help communities to meet their own needs by using WFP food as an incentive.

Communities are encouraged to identify the types of projects that will ultimately improve their livelihoods and food security, and give them the best chance possible of breaking the cycle of poverty that keeps them locked in deprivation.

Foods for Work projects are often a joint community effort, with all members of a village helping each other in vital community works, be it through rehabilitation of degraded land or cleaning of irrigation channels. In 2010, WFP delivered more than 1, 890 tons of food commodities through the Food for Work programme, providing for the neediest and helping improve community infrastructure at the same time.