Djibouti
- 24%
- of people need food assistance
- 90%
- of food is imported
- 1.1 million
- population
With a population of 1.1 million, The Republic of Djibouti is a middle-income country in the Horn of Africa. Despite this, it ranked 93 out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, with a severity score categorized as “serious”.
The climate is hot and dry, which limits agricultural production. Livestock production contributes only three to four percent to GDP, leading the country to import 90 percent of its food. This makes it vulnerable to price fluctuations, which directly affect the purchasing power of low and middle-income rural households – especially those headed by women.
What the World Food Programme is doing in Djibouti
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Assistance to refugees
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WFP provides monthly mixed cash-food or cash-based transfers to refugees and asylum seekers in the three settlements located in northern and southern parts of the country. Most refugees have limited or no income, and therefore rely almost exclusively on WFP’s food assistance. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, as well as children aged under 5, also benefit from nutrition programmes such as the prevention of chronic malnutrition, and nutrition supplementation for those suffering from moderate acute malnutrition.
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Food security for crisis-affected populations
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WFP supports both rural and urban food-insecure families affected by extreme weather events such drought or flood, providing food and cash-based transfers to respond to their immediate food needs. SCOPE cards allow people including refugees to securely receive e-vouchers to buy food at WFP-contracted retailers’ shops or to receive a food basket.
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Nutrition
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WFP works to prevent all forms of malnutrition and provide nutrition supplementation to pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, as well as children aged under 5 suffering from moderate acute malnutrition. WFP also provides food assistance to people living with HIV and those undergoing treatment for tuberculosis, to promote good nutrition and health and ease the side effects of medication.
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Resilience building
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WFP provides food, cash-based transfers and technical assistance aimed at strengthening a national, inclusive, adaptive and nutrition-sensitive social protection system. This initiative contributes to reducing hunger and malnutrition while enhancing economic stability.
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School meals
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As part of the national school-feeding programme, WFP developed a strong partnership with the Government of Djibouti through which school gardens are developed in all five regions of the country (Arta, Ali Sabieh, Dikhil, Obock and Tadjourah). The fresh products from these gardens are used in the national school-feeding programme. In addition, families receive take-home rations and nutritional education. as incentives to keep their children in school.
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Humanitarian Logistics Base
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The Humanitarian Logistics Base is a pre-positioning point and a logistics corridor for Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and other countries, as well as Djibouti. It boasts modern facilities, including vertical grain silos with a capacity of 40,000 metric tons, a container freight station, dry food and cold-chain warehouses, and a temperature-sensitive logistics station. The facility also manages port and fleet operations, warehouses and on-demand service provision, making it capable of offering comprehensive services to the humanitarian community in the region.
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United Nations Humanitarian Air Services
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WFP facilitates operations of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service for passengers from UN agencies and (International) Non-Governmental Organizations across the region. Flights are operated to connect various destinations in Ethiopia, Jordan, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Marib, Mukalla, and Seiyun).
Djibouti news releases
Go to pageFind out more about the state of food security in Djibouti
Visit the food security analysis pageOperations in Djibouti
Contacts
Office
P.A.M., Rue Ibrahim M. Sultant, Heron B.P. 10011 - Djibouti République de Djibouti,
Djibouti
Djibouti
Phone
+ 253 21 35 34 22
Fax
+ 253 21 35 48 10