World Food Programme - India the food aid arm of the United Nations
Home	About Us	Policies	Events	Media	Publications	Vacancies	Other Websites	All Documents

Food For Life

Natural disasters are a major factor affecting food security in areas prone to flooding, drought, and pest and disease outbreaks. Every disaster, which struck India whether it was the Assam floods in June 1998, the Orissa cyclone in 1999, or the earthquake, which struck Gujarat in 2001, it was the poorest who suffered the impact most. They lost precious lives, crops, cattle and all livelihood opportunities.  WFP is committed to mitigating and preventing emergencies and their consequences on human lives like famine related death, starvation and nutrition deficiencies.

WFP’s mitigation activities include measures to prevent and moderate the potential threats from occurring. Prevention steps include construction, restoring rural infrastructure to limit the damage of flood water or construction of water harvesting structures, which improve the water table and prevent desertification. A second set of activities is to help people through the crisis. Such activities are oriented towards the preservation and protection of assets. The rapid response capacity, information systems and local knowledge through its regular country presence has helped WFP to assist in disaster situations.

WFP helps government efforts to alleviate the suffering caused by sudden food shortfall and promote early recovery by working in the most natural disaster and drought prone states - particularly Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand where food crisis repeatedly occurs. WFP closely collaborates with other partners for rapid and effective response to emergency situations. In 1998, WFP took a proactive stance by serving as Team Leader of the UN Disaster Management Team in India.

Responding to the Indian Government's request for immediate assistance for the victims of the Gujarat earthquake in January 2001, WFP has undertaken a four-month, US$4million operation to support the ICDS system and meet the special nutritional needs of women and children by providing nutritious fortified food to 300,000 people in the 5 most affected districts (15 blocks) of Gujarat. In addition, WFP launched a special operation to support the logistics capacity and co-ordination of the UN system response. A United Nations Joint Logistics Cell (UNJLC) was established under the leadership of WFP to support logistic coordination and to provide some logistic infrastructure that enhanced the operational relief capacity.

When the super cyclone hit coastal districts of Orissa, in a short span WFP India initiated an emergency response operation, followed by the launch of two Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO). Additional resources were made available to arrest further deterioration of nutritional levels, especially of children through supplementary nutrition. An overall rehabilitation strategy was designed to assist and sustain the recovery process.  As an immediate response to the century’s worst cyclone, which hit Orissa, WFP provided 250 MT of high protein biscuits. In addition to this, WFP provided approximately 2000 MT of food including 500 MT of a highly nutritious infant food called "Indiamix" specially targeted for young children and 1500 MT of rice. Total worth of these commodities was around US $ 700,000.

Orissa Cyclone 

The violent cyclones which ravaged Orissa on 18 and 29 October 1999 affected more than 15 million people, i.e. one third of the population of the State. More than 10,000 people lost their lives. Almost 2 million houses were destroyed. Assessments conducted by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) and by FAO and WFP, indicated that cash crops and horticulture were severely damaged: in the most affected districts they were almost completely destroyed and over 70 percent of cattle had perished. The WFP Nutrition Assessment stated that State programmes that reach the most vulnerable populations (expectant mothers, infants

and primary schoolchildren) have been severely weakened. The simultaneous occurrence of loss of agricultural opportunities, additional pressure on safety net programmes, significant loss of labour opportunities, and destruction of the economic infrastructure have left the State Government to address all of these problems concurrently.

Also See Protracted Relief and Rehabilitation Operations

WFP has responded to the devastating drought condition in Rajasthan by providing 1,500 MT of food grains for undertaking food-for-work schemes in Dungarpur, Sirohi, Rajsamand and Banswara districts.

WFP’s regular food for work activities in India contribute to drought prevention. Activities include creation of water harvesting structures which have a major role to play in raising the ground water level. WFP afforestation activities supported through the department of Forest and Environment also play a critical role in preventing drought.

Food for the flood-afflicted 

a WFP response in Assam

It was worse than usual; in fact, it was reportedly the worst occurrence in more than 100 years. In June 1998, violent floods began ravaging parts of the northeast Indian state of Assam, displacing millions onto river embankments or into the highlands.

Entire Community Blocks remained submerged under water for weeks. Gone were several thousand hectares of agricultural land which were overrun with water and silt. Food quickly became scarce. Prices of essentials such as rice, vegetables, and pulses rose by around 40 percent. Although the state government could provide some rations like rice, pulses and salt, food for displaced children and infants remained particularly insufficient. By September 1998, floods had damaged 21 out of 23 districts in Assam.

WFP responded immediately to requests by the state government for assistance by providing 635 metric tons of Corn Soya Blend. WFP cut critical response time because it already was assisting ICDS centers in 2 districts in Assam.

The Relief and Social Welfare departments, along with assistance from workers of the ICDS centers, distributed WFP’s food to the most affected districts. The food helped feed approximately 35,000 children under the age of six, as well as pregnant women and children living in makeshift camps, over a 3-month period.

World Food Programme

2, Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi – 110057, India

Tel:91-11-26150000, Fax:91-11-26150019

Contact:

wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org