Several thousands of people are finding it difficult to meet their basic needs of food and shelter in the earthquake struck Gujarat. Many, who are trapped in the rubbles, have not had a single morsel after the catastrophe has occurred. As an immediate response to this earthquake, which occurred on 26 January 2001, the WFP Country Director made an approval of US$ 200,000 for the purchase of 300 MT of high-energy biscuits. The supplies are meant for people in the remote villages where no help has reached. A WFP team is currently in Bhuj to identify the locations. In the current circumstances of acute food shortage, when people are dislocated from homes and markets, WFP has considered supplying nutritious, compact food items, which are ready to eat. These micronutrient-fortified biscuits can take care of their immediate food and nutritional requirements to some extent. WFP will distribute the biscuits in 200 gm packets, each of which will provide 1000 K Calories per day. This is one of the most appropriate options since it will be difficult to organize cooking when the entire place is dislocated and where there is a shortage of fuel.

WFP will coordinate with the District Collector and local NGOs such as SEWA since it is coordination and reaching the unreached, the bigger challenge of the day. WFP is looking into the possibility of identifying more NGOs in the locality to organize the distribution of food. The assistance as such would only be a modest interim relief to help further prevent nutritional deterioration.

Even before the occurrence of this earthquake, the nutrition and food security situation of Gujarat has not been satisfactory. Looking at food insecurity from a wider perspective of food availability, access, utilization and vulnerability to disasters, WFP's food insecurity analysis shows that Gujarat is the second most vulnerable state in India, only next to Bihar. The per capita calorie intake per day for the lowest income-expenditure group in Gujarat is only 1788 kcal as against 1934 kcal, the all India average. The percentage of people suffering from chronic energy deficiency and the percentage of children under-5 years, suffering from stunting and wasting are very high in the state. Gujarat is also highly prone to drought, cyclone and earthquake. Majority of the districts in Gujarat are prone to disaster.

For further details contact:

Dr. Minnie Mathew

Senior Advocacy Officer

World Food Programme

New Delhi 110003

Tel: 91-11- 4694381-84, 4692957, 4623024

Fax: 91-11-4627109

Email: minnie.mathew@wfp.org