News releases

NASSAU – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is distributing food vouchers to assist 500 of the most vulnerable families living on hurricane-stricken Abaco in the Bahamas, which will allow them to buy the food of their choice and prioritise their needs.

MANAGUA – As powerful Hurricane Eta makes landfall along the northern Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), at the request of the Government, has positioned 80 metric tons of food assistance in the region. The Category 4 hurricane, with winds of 240 km/h, is bringing heavy rain and causing damage to homes, agricultural fields, roads and power lines.

PANAMA CITY – The socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean could potentially leave around 14 million* vulnerable people in severe food insecurity this year, warranting urgent attention to save lives, according to projections by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

Port-au-Prince – Amidst ongoing violence in Haiti, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has rapidly expanded its food assistance, reaching more than half a million people since the start of the current crisis in March this year. WFP is reaching vulnerable communities with food distributions including hot meals for people living in temporary shelters in conflict-affected Port-au-Prince, cash disbursements and school meals.

Massachusetts /Panama City - The Civic Data Design Lab (CCDL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have been recognized among winners of the 2023 Anthem Awards which highlight excellence in social impact. The project “Distance Unknown: Risks and Opportunities of Migration in the Americas” today received a Gold Medal in the ‘Humanitarian Action & Services’ category for ‘Best use of data’.

BRIDGETOWN – The number of people estimated to be facing moderate to severe levels of food insecurity in the English-speaking Caribbean has risen by an alarming 46 percent over the last six months. Nearly 4.1 million people or 57 percent of the population now face food insecurity, according to a recent survey conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

BRIDGETOWN – An estimated 2.8 million people or nearly 40 percent of the population in the English-speaking Caribbean is food insecure, 1 million more than in April 2020, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

PANAMA CITY – The number of severely food insecure people has shot up by over half a million between December 2021 and March 2022 in Latin America and the Caribbean, as the region struggles to cope with the fallout of COVID-19, now coupled with the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine, warns the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The region has the highest cost for a healthy diet compared to the rest of the world, at USD 3.89 per person per day, while the world average is USD 3.54.

BOGOTA - The Innovation Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean (HZero) - managed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Colombia - celebrated the conclusion of a programme that supported 10 innovative projects from six countries in the region. Together, these projects are making a positive impact on the lives of over 85,000 people and contributing to Zero Hunger.

PORT-AU-PRINCE – In a major institutional step towards building resilience against hunger, the Government of Haiti officially adopted its National Social Protection and Promotion Policy, supported by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).