Germany contributes 1m euro to WFP for food security in Pakistan

Islamabad

The government of Germany has confirmed a contribution of Euro 1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for resilience and food security in Pakistan.

WFP is complementing the government of Pakistan's reconstruction and development efforts and the Fata Sustainable Return and Rehabilitation Strategy (SRRS) by addressing food security issues of temporarily displaced people (TDPs) and returnee populations.

WFP relief food assistance has been designed with the prime objective to save lives and avert hunger through the conduct of unconditional relief food distributions to the affected families, who have left their homes or are returning after protracted periods of displacement, and have limited or no means to meet their basic food needs.

The financial contribution by Germany will help WFP to continue providing uninterrupted food assistance to both displaced and returnee families in the country's north-west and will serve as a foundation upon which people can begin rebuilding their livelihoods and communities.

German Ambassador Ina Lepel said, "The German government is very committed to support the return and rehabilitation of the people of Fata. After the IDPs have returned to their homes, the support of their daily needs has to be the first priority. We are glad to be able to increase our support to the WFPs food security interventions to this end."

This support will allow WFP to assist more than 89,000 displaced and returnee families affected by law and order operations in Fata, with monthly unconditional relief food distributions. Around 1,200 metric tons (MT) of food commodities including yellow split peas, vegetable oil and iodised salt will be procured for distribution along with the in-kind wheat provided by the government of Pakistan.

WFP Pakistan Country Director and Representative, Lola Castro said, "the German contribution is very crucial at this moment, as it will help address food and nutrition security of vulnerable IDP and returnee populations, who have no means to meet their basic needs, and prevent them from resorting to negative coping strategies."

In March 2015, the government of Pakistan initiated a phased-return plan aiming to voluntarily return all displaced populations to their areas of origin in Fata by the end of 2016 and developed a Sustainable Return and Rehabilitation Strategy (SRRS) centred on five pillars of recovery. Displaced populations are vulnerable to food insecurity both in areas of displacements and after their return, until they recover and benefit from stable livelihoods. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain humanitarian assistance for families that remain in displacement and support returnee populations during the crucial period of resettlement.