WFP extends food aid as vulnerability rises

The World Food Programme (WFP) in Mozambique is extending its aid programme until June, as preliminary reports point to rising food needs in the south and central regions. WFP information officer Kerstin Reisdorf said on Friday that the UN food agency was assisting around 150,000 people in the most affected districts in the south and centre of the country as an initial response to the food shortages expected from April to June. This assistance, she added, was an extension of two components of WFP's work, originally meant to stop in March: food-for-work for an average 28,000 beneficiaries per month, and vulnerable group feeding targeting the elderly, the chronically ill and orphan-headed households. WFP is providing food assistance through its 2002-2006 country programme in an effort to help Mozambique achieve its development targets. Furthermore, a Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation was launched this year to mitigate the effects of food insecurity and HIV/AIDS. Under this operation, WFP plans to distribute around 4,400 mt of food per month to over 200,000 beneficiaries. The agency pointed out that the number of people needing food assistance might change after two vulnerability and crop assessment missions later this month have been completed. A vulnerability assessment mission comprising the government, the UN, donors and NGOs is planned to start on 25 April, followed by a Food and Agriculture Organisation and WFP crop and food supply assessment mission scheduled for April/May. Reisdorf said the assessment results would determine the level of support required from June 2004 until the next harvest in March 2006.