Emergency Response

Daw Khin Myint, Myanmar
 
“I’ve seen strong winds and rising water before,” said Daw Khin Myint, a woman in her 60s, “but I’d never in my life experienced anything like this cyclone.” Cyclone Nargis destroyed her entire village. She and her family of seven rebuilt their home with materials salvaged from the debris, and WFP food distributions are helping them make ends meet until the fishing industry is rehabilitated. “I don’t know what we would do without this food,” she said.

When emergencies strike, WFP is first on the ground helping people. Whether in the wake of a natural disaster or in the midst of conflict, WFP responds with life-saving food and logistical support. With field offices around the globe and pre-positioned emergency food stocks, WFP is able to deliver food virtually anywhere in the world with as little as one day’s notice. 

To make emergency operations possible, WFP partners with other organizations and national governments to ensure that key logistics are in place. If there are no roads or bridges, WFP builds them. If conflict in an area makes road travel impossible, WFP can arrange airdrops of life-saving food. The agency will use whatever it takes to reach people in need, right down to sending food on the backs of mules. 

The rising tide of civil conflict, war and natural disasters in the world's poorest nations has led to an explosion in food emergencies – up from an average of 15 per year in the 1980s to more than 30 per year since 2000. Whatever the cause, WFP is there to help with life-saving food.

Visit WFP.org to learn more about this program »