Donate
Saving Lives
Changing Lives

Although Colombia is classified as an upper-middle income country, it ranks second in Latin America and the Caribbean and seventh in the world in terms of income inequality.

Food security improved between 2022 and 2023. However, one out of four Colombians are food insecure. 

One of the main catalysts for food insecurity is armed conflict. There will unlikely be peace with high levels of food insecurity, and food-insecure people may become victims of conflict and illicit businesses.

A peace agreement between the Government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 signalled an end to almost six decades of conflict, though other armed groups still operate in the country.

The conflict left hundreds of thousands of people dead, displaced 8.4 million people and was characterized by widespread human rights violations. 

While it is a generational task to mitigate the consequences of decades of conflict, the fact conflict continues in many parts of the country represents a serious hurdle to achieving food security. 

The World Food Programme (WFP) supports the Government's efforts to achieve zero hunger through approaches including cash-based transfers, local purchases through farmers' associations and the promotion of sustainable enterprises. These tools also work to prevent malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies and obesity, especially in school-aged children.  

Ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have permanent access to a nutritious, balanced and diversified diet is the focus of WFP's actions in Colombia. 

Children, breastfeeding and pregnant women, ethnic groups, victims of violence, confined and displaced communities, smallholder farmers, migrants and host communities are the population groups identified as priorities to ensure their food and nutrition security.

Show more

What the World Food Programme is doing in Colombia

Capacity strengthening
WFP provides local public and private institutions with technical support for the development of policies and the design, delivery and evaluation of programmes to address malnutrition and food insecurity, with a special focus on former conflict areas. It aims to improve capacities in disaster risk reduction and in strengthening the country’s social protection system, hoping to make it more shock responsive. Building on WFP’s experience implementing school meals in La Guajira and in many countries in the world, WFP aims to help many departments in Colombia to improve their school meal programmes with a focus on local procurement.
Food security
WFP works with victims of violence – including internally displaced people and returnees – and vulnerable populations to ensure they have adequate access to nutritious, varied food. Children at risk of forced recruitment – especially in remote rural boarding schools – or affected by displacement, are supported through a school meals programme in La Guajira, Colombia’s most food-insecure department. The programme is designed to build local ownership and linked to local production.
Nutrition
WFP promotes nutrition-related training and communication campaigns adapted to the context of vulnerable populations, tailored to address the gender and age of recipients. Local governments receive support to prevent malnutrition, with special attention on the first 1,000 days of life and a focus on pregnant and nursing women, adolescent girls and children under 5.
Support for smallholder farmers
To enhance the production and marketing capacities of smallholder farmers, WFP is providing training to ensure they meet demand requirements (including quality standards, reliability of supply, adding value to raw products, use of native species and environmentally sound agricultural practices) and promoting efficient procurement models that link smallholder production to public and private markets. The approach emphasizes the work of women's associations in rural areas of the country, and also promote social cohesion. WFP is aiming to involve private sector partners a lot more proactively in this space.
Resilience and livelihoods
Integrated actions support community-based, inclusive and sustainable natural resource management and adaptation to climate change, building on the analysis of climate trends and forecasts. Activities build resilience, using incentives such as food transfers or cash-based transfers, to recover ancestral practices and traditional knowledge, and improve dietary diversity and rebuild livelihoods in areas vulnerable to climate change.

Publications

Show more

In focus

Show more

Partners and donors

Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in the Democratic Republic of Colombia is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:
Archers-Daniels-Midland Company – ADM Canada CIAT European Commission France

Operations in Colombia

View all operations

Contacts

Office

Calle 81 # 11 08, Piso 7, 8 and 12 Edificio 8111 Bogotá
Colombia

Phone
+57 601 7550401
Fax
+57 1 212 4456
Email
wfp.colombia@wfp.org
For media inquiries
wfp.colombia@wfp.org
Social

Advanced search