Sweden Contributes SEK 20 Million (US$2 Million) to Help WFP Deliver Food to Drought-Affected People in Zambia
LUSAKA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a contribution of SEK 20 million (US$2 million) from the Government of Sweden to help meet the food and nutrition needs of people affected by the drought in Zambia.
The funds will enable WFP to procure and deliver 1,435 MT of pulses to almost 400,000 vulnerable people to cover their food and nutrition needs for one month.
The new contribution, confirmed in November 2019, comes following the drought in the last farming season that contributed to significant crop failure, leaving 24 percent of the population (2.3 million people) severely food insecure.
WFP is supporting the Government to respond to the needs by delivering Government-supplied maize meal, as well as procuring and delivering pulses to ensure a nutrition-sensitive food basket. WFP will work closely with partners to monitor food distributions to ensure that resources are channelled to those most in need.
About 1.1 million people are expected to receive WFP’s support, while the needs of the remaining 1.2 million will be assisted by the Government and other partners.
‘’The generous support from the Government of Sweden enables the most drought-affected people to add protein to their diet, through the addition of pulses in the emergency food basket,’’ said Jennifer Bitonde, WFP Country Representative in Zambia.
The Government of Sweden is one of the largest donors to WFP’s development programmes in Zambia. In 2018, Sweden confirmed a 4-year (2018-2022) US$5.7 million contribution towards promoting the production and consumption of nutritious food. ‘’Together, we have helped communities to access nutritious food, while building the resilience of smallholder farmers to future climate-related shocks,’’ said Ms. Bitonde.
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