World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

The donation of 1,095 metric tons of rice was made by Brazil and Spain to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and to the Government of Nicaragua for its distribution among Nicaraguans affected by natural disasters. An estimated 60,000 people could be reached thanks to this donation over the next three months. The contribution is valued at more USD943,469.

“This contribution confirms the compromise of the people and the Brazilian Government and the Nicaragua Government. Whenever it is needed, Brazil will lend a hand to this beloved brotherly country and will certainly not stop help its people,” said the Brazilian Ambassador in Nicaragua, Luiz Felipe Mendonça Filho. The Federative Republic of Brazil is an example by its major efforts to reduce poverty and eradicate hunger among its people and the international solidarity expressed through its commitment to promote regional integration and South-South cooperation. The contribution of rice produced in Brazil is valued at more than USD519.000

This rice shipment arrives to Nicaragua when the government is preparing for possible emergencies during the rainy season and hurricanes. The National System for Prevention, Mitigation and Attention to Disasters (SINAPRED), the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (MHCP) and WFP signed, in 2011, a cooperation agreement to coordinate the attention to families affected by emergencies in terms of technical assistance for the procurement, storage, transportation and distribution of food and non-food goods.

The Executive Secretary of SINAPRED, Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez (center) said that this donation strengthens government abilities to respond to emergencies in an organized way. Dr. Gonzalez recalled that the latest weather phenomenon that struck the country was the tropical storm 12-E in 2011, that in less than 10 days affected more than 150 000 people.

The contribution of Spain valued at USD453.845 made it possible that the shipment of rice arrived in Nicaraguan and once stored will be transported to the most vulnerable families all around the country. "This contribution highlights a modern and effective cooperation and is a clear example of uniting wills commitments and get better results," said the General Coordinator of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID), José Manuel Mariscal (left).

According to the Global Climate Risk Index Germanwatch 2013, Nicaragua ranked third among countries most affected by natural disasters in the period between 1992 and 2011. "During the past six years the Government of Nicaragua has assisted more than half a million people in emergencias such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions," said Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez, Executive Secretary SINAPRED. In the image, a resident of the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) affected by Hurricane Felix in September 2007, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones.