WFP welcomes support from KOICA for rural women affected by conflict in Colombia
BOGOTÁ – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a contribution of US$4.5 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which will support rural women in areas affected by the conflict in Colombia.
The funds will help to promote rural women’s economic independence and boost crop productivity. In collaboration with the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, WFP will support 45 associations of smallholder farmers affected by the internal conflict. WFP aims to assist 1,860 families or 7,440 people in the departments of Cauca, Chocó, Nariño and Valle del Cauca.
“The Republic of Korea’s support will have a positive and transformative impact on the lives of women, helping them to achieve food security in a sustainable manner," said WFP Country Director in Colombia, Carlo Scaramella. “Korea is a key partner of WFP’s work on the triple nexus of humanitarian assistance, development and peacebuilding.”
The project contributes to the broader implementation of the Peace Agreement, which prioritizes sustainable rural reform. It is aligned with WFP’s Strategic Plan, supporting the Colombian Government’s development and peacebuilding efforts by assisting those most vulnerable.
In Colombia, family and community agriculture accounts for 74 percent of rural workers, generates 50 percent of agricultural employment and produces 70 percent of the national agricultural output.
In 2018, WFP carried out technical assistance activities among 105 farmers associations, linking more than 11,000 smallholder farmers to markets in eight departments.
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme - saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.
Follow us on Twitter @WFP_Media, @WFP_es