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Saving Lives
Changing Lives

Who we are

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

Hunger should not be an issue in today's world

In a world of plenty, where enough food is produced to feed everyone on the planet, hunger should be a thing of the past. However, conflict, climate change, disasters, inequality and – most recently – the COVID-19 pandemic mean one in eleven people globally are still going to bed hungry and famine looms for millions.

Powered by the passion, dedication and professionalism of 23,000 staff worldwide, the World Food Programme (WFP) has a presence in over 120 countries and territories to carry out its mission. We bring life-saving food to people displaced by conflict and made destitute by disasters, and help individuals and communities find life-changing solutions to the multiple challenges they face in building better futures.

We work to enhance nutrition in women and children, support smallholder farmers in improving productivity and reducing losses, help countries and communities prepare for and cope with climate-related shocks, and boost human capital through school feeding programmes.

In conflict situations, we bring relief to exhausted populations and use food assistance to build pathways to peace and stability – work for which WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.

We save lives

For millions of people worldwide, WFP’s emergency relief during crises is the difference between life and death. 

On any given day, WFP has 5,000 trucks, 20 ships and 152 aircraft on the move, delivering emergency assistance, relief and rehabilitation, development aid and special operations to people affected by conflict, droughts, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, crop failures and other disasters. Two-thirds of our work is in conflict-affected countries, where people are three times more likely to be undernourished than those living in countries without conflict. 

When an emergency subsides, WFP helps rebuild lives and livelihoods by strengthening the resilience of people and communities. 

We change lives

Our work to build resilience, adapt to climate change, promote good nutrition and improve food systems lays the foundations of a more prosperous future for millions. 

WFP is the largest humanitarian organization implementing school- meals programmes worldwide, with over 50 years’ experience in this area. In 2023, WFP transferred food to over 100 million people. That same year, WFP also disbursed around US$2.8 billion in cash-based transfers to an estimated 51.6 million people – strengthening food and nutrition security and sustaining local economies around the world. 

We rely on voluntary donations

Feeding millions of the world’s hungriest people and helping millions more cope with the effects of conflict, climate change and entrenched poverty requires billions of dollars every year. Our funding requirement for 2024 is US$18 billion to reach 139 million people.

Our operations are entirely funded through the generous voluntary contributions of donor governments, institutions, corporations and individuals. A total 93.5 percent of all government contributions go directly to supporting life-saving and life-changing operations.

We work in partnership

WFP works with governments, other United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, private companies and others to mobilize resources, find innovative solutions and reach vulnerable communities with the assistance they need.

 

We are committed to accountability and transparency

WFP holds itself and its staff to the highest standards of integrity and behaviour. We are committed to full transparency and accountability to the people we serve and to the donors who generously fund our operations.

We carry out objective and independent audits, as well as investigations and inspections into suspected wrongdoing, misconduct and fraud, as well as sexual exploitation or abuse.

To ensure that we remain fit for purpose, we carry out periodic independent evaluations. These provide our donors and partners with greater detail about the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, impact and sustainability of our work. 

 

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