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  • Frontline World Food Programme

    Frontline World Food Programme

    10 December 2024, Maria shares a meal with two of her daughters, Petronila and Elena Lucrecia, at their home in the Cocop community of Nebaj municipality, Quiché, Guatemala. Over 50 percent of the smallholder farmers that WFP supports in the country are Indigenous and over 80 percent are women.

    The World Food Programme (WFP) has a presence in over 120 countries and territories. We provide food and other assistance to people affected by conflict, climate change, economic crises, pandemics and other challenges. At the same time, we provide governments with the support and skills to manage food security in the long term. WFP won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 in recognition of our strong advocacy for the critical role of peace in ending hunger, and for the use of food as a tool for peace.
    Quick facts
    “WFP is funded entirely by voluntary donations, with US$8.3 billion raised in 2023.
    “We provided assistance to 152 million people in 2023.
    “WFP has over 22,500 staff, of whom 87 percent are field based.
    A global hunger crisis
    The year 2024 has been another of extreme jeopardy for millions of people around the world struggling to feed their families. A stream of global crises – overlapping and escalating in countries and regions – has generated an unremitting demand for urgent humanitarian and development assistance. Learn more here about the hunger crisis.
    Funding shortfall and ration cuts
    While global humanitarian needs are skyrocketing, funding is failing to keep pace. This has forced WFP – and other organizations – to scale back assistance and refocus on the most severe needs.
    It is also getting harder for our teams to do their work, with humanitarian access restricted by conflict.
    The year 2025 is projected to be one of unrelenting humanitarian needs, driven by escalating conflicts and climate and economic shocks. WFP needs US$16.9 billion to address the humanitarian needs of 123 million vulnerable people in 2025, as detailed in the WFP 2025 Global Outlook.
    Main areas of work
    Emergency response and preparedness
    We respond to emergencies caused by conflict, climate shocks, pandemics and other disasters. We coordinate responses to large-scale emergencies on behalf of the wider humanitarian community, as lead agency of the Logistics Cluster and the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster. We further work with partners to provide early warning and help communities lessen the impact of looming disasters. Learn more here about the emergencies we are currently tackling.
    “Each day WFP has up to 5,000 trucks, 132 aircraft and 20 ships on the move, delivering food and other assistance.
    Climate action
    WFP works with governments and humanitarian partners to respond to an increasing number of climate-related disasters, which wipe out crops, disrupt markets and destroy infrastructure such as roads and bridges. At the same time, we take pre-emptive action including restoring degraded ecosystems that serve as shields against disasters. Forecast-based Financing allows families to buy food, reinforce their homes and take other steps to build resilience ahead of climate disasters.
    “WFP aims to empower 23 million people to build resilience against climate-related and other shocks in 2025.
    Ending malnutrition
    Sustainable development is only possible in communities where malnutrition is eradicated. WFP’s work goes beyond emergency interventions to address all forms of malnutrition, including vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and overweight and obesity. We address malnutrition from the earliest stages, targeting the first 1,000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday. We provide access to healthy diets, with a focus on young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people living with HIV.
    “WFP supported 27 million women and children with measures to prevent and treat malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of life, during 2023.
    School-meal programmes
    WFP is the largest humanitarian organization implementing school-meal programmes, which improve children’s nutrition and health, while also increasing access to a potentially life-changing education. Home-grown school feeding sources food from millions of smallholder farmers, increasing their incomes and boosting local economies. WFP is secretariat of the School Meals Coalition, with over 100 governments and nearly 140 organizations working for every child to receive a healthy, nutritious school meal by 2030.
    “WFP provided nutritious school meals, take-home rations or snacks to 21.4 million schoolchildren in 61 countries in 2023.
    Supporting smallholder farmers
    Smallholder farmers produce most of the world’s food and are critical in achieving a zero-hunger world. WFP’s support ranges from business-skills training to post-harvest management, to opening up access to finance and roads to markets.
    ” WFP bought 90,000 metric tons of food from smallholder farmers in 24 countries for our operations in 2023, worth US$56 million, boosting their livelihoods and injecting cash into local economies.
    Resilience building
    WFP’s early-warning and preparedness systems allow governments to prevent or respond quickly to crises. We help develop national capacities to manage disaster risk through approaches such as weather insurance. Our work includes vulnerability analysis and mapping, as well as support to governments’ social protection systems such as cash transfers.WFP’s Food Assistance for Assets programme sees people receive food or cash to meet immediate food needs, which frees up their time for work on community assets and livelihood resources.
    “WFP plans to support the rehabilitation of 3 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, under the Climate and Resilience Investment Pipeline.
    Cash assistance
    WFP is the largest cash provider in the humanitarian community. Cash allows for increased choices and diet diversity for people, while boosting smallholder production, retail and the financial sector through increased spending and trade. It is also an effective means of giving more economic power to food-insecure women.
    “WFP transferred US$2.9 billion in cash-based transfers and commodity vouchers (which are redeemed for specific items) in 76 countries in 2023, reaching 51.6 million people.
    Capacity building
    WFP shares skills and knowledge with public, private and civil society organizations who are pivotal to sustaining national policies and programmes. We are building governments’ and other partners’ capacities to manage disaster risk and improve food security, while also investing in the aforementioned early-warning and preparedness systems.
    “In 2023, WFP supported 58 countries in becoming better prepared for, and more able to respond to, emergencies, through development and training related to preparedness and response systems.
    Digital innovation
    New technologies and innovation help drive WFP’s work to achieve zero hunger. WFP’s Munich-based Innovation Accelerator sources new ideas, pilots projects and implements high-impact innovations, by connecting them with WFP’s global network and field operations.
    The Accelerator reached 60.7 million people across 70 countries and territories in 2023, working with a network of WFP country offices and regional bureaux, innovation hubs and partners.
    UNHAS
    WFP Aviation manages the only UN-mandated air transport service, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which allows humanitarian staff and cargo to reach the world’s most remote and challenging locations.
    “UNHAS transported more than 388,000 humanitarian staff and 4,800 metric tons of cargo in 2023, ensuring that 647 organizations could reach over 437 remote and hard-to-reach destinations.

  • |Organic World Congress 2024

    7 December : We are thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the Organic World Congress (OWC) 2024 and the IFOAM General Assembly. The events were a testament to the incredible support, dedication, and engagement of our members and attendees. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to making these gatherings truly impactful.
    As we close this chapter, we are excited to share some of the key outcomes and updates from these landmark events:
    We are pleased to announce that the province of Negros Occidental in The Philippines has been selected as the host for the Organic World Congress 2027. We eagerly look forward to working with our host to craft another inspiring and transformative gathering for the global organic movement.
    A special message from one of our members in the Phillipines
    Meet the New World Board
    IFOAM-Organics International’s General Assembly, the organization’s highest decision-making body, has concluded with the election of a new World Board. This triennial gathering unites members to shape the future of the organic movement, approve motions, and elect the leadership that will guide the organization for the next three years.?
    The New World Board?
    This diverse team of global leaders brings exceptional expertise and dedication to advancing organic agriculture. Together, they will steer IFOAM-Organics International according to the strategic direction set during the General Assembly, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of ecological sustainability and innovation.?
    Introducing the New Executive Board?
    The General Assembly also announced the new Executive Board, tasked with operational leadership:?
    The Executive Board will work closely with the Executive Director and the World Board to implement the organization’s strategic goals.
    Looking Ahead?
    With the new visionary leadership in place, IFOAM-Organics International is ready to advance its mission with renewed energy and purpose.
    A Memorable Milestone for IFOAM-Organics International
    The General Assembly 2024 marked yet another inspiring chapter in the history of IFOAM-Organics International and the global organic movement. Over the two days, we witnessed the power of collective decision-making, the diversity of ideas from our global membership, and the shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable future.
    From electing a visionary new World Board to approving motions that will steer our work for years to come, every moment underscored the strength of our shared purpose. We also celebrated the selection of the next host for the Organic World Congress 2027, setting the stage for another landmark event that will bring us together to advance the organic agenda.
    A special thank you goes to the organisers of this year’s General Assembly and Organic World Congress for creating a space where meaningful connections could flourish. We also express our heartfelt gratitude to our strategic partners, including BIOFACH and FiBL, whose unwavering support sustains our shared mission. And to the IFOAM staff-thank you for your tireless dedication, ensuring that not just this event, but the organisation itself continues to thrive.
    A Message from Ravi R. Prasad, Executive Director
    “A big thank you to all our members for being there and believing in us. Meeting our members for the first time, listening to their experiences and getting to hear from them how we can serve our membership better has inspired me and my colleagues. There is no doubt that we are bigger than the sum of our parts. We look forward to heightened collaboration and action as we move ahead implementing the new Strategy. Before we meet again at the next General Assembly in 2027, we will strive to increase our engagement with our members, improve our outreach, seek their support in expanding our work, our network, and our impact.
    This OWC and GA would not have been successful without our members, and my colleagues at IFOAM-Organics International, who toiled hard overcoming challenges and turning them into opportunities. They left no stone unturned to make these events a success.

  • Eco-Friendly Practices Replace Antimicrobials in Apiaries Across Ghana

    Eco-Friendly Practices Replace Antimicrobials in Apiaries Across Ghana

    Beekeepers battle against Antimicrobial Resistance, hive by hive

    Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms persist or grow despite the use of drugs designed to inhibit or kill them. This can lead to treatments failing, with increased illness and mortality in humans, plants, animals and even bees. ©FAO /Sara Giuliani

    18 November : Martha Adjorlolo’s beehives, set amid the rural landscape of Donkorkrom, in Ghana’s eastern region are her livelihood and her passion. Though she only started beekeeping a year ago, she has quickly become committed to sustainable beekeeping practices. She already uses local methods—like the top bar hive, a type of beehive that allows bees to build their comb on horizontal bars made from natural materials, as well as natural repellents such as lemongrass oil and wood ash— to manage pests.

    But recently, her awareness of the importance of reducing chemicals and antimicrobial use has only grown sharper, especially after a hands-on training by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD). The workshop, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), “was an eye-opener; it highlighted the urgent need for change in handling antimicrobials, not just for bee health, but for food safety and our environment,” says Martha.

    Martha Adjorlolo is committed to sustainable beekeeping practices, particularly after a workshop by FAO on reducing the use of antimicrobials in agriculture. © Photos courtesy of Martha Adjorlolo

    Beekeepers sometimes use antibiotics in hives to manage bacterial infections or as a measure to support the health of their bee colonies. That’s why the workshop focused on raising awareness and preventing the problems posed by Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). This occurs when microorganisms persist or grow despite the use of drugs known as antimicrobials designed to inhibit or kill them. These drugs are used to treat infectious diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoan parasites.

    When microorganisms become resistant to antimicrobials, standard treatments are often ineffective. In some cases, no drugs can provide effective therapy and treatments fail, leading to increased illness and mortality in humans, animals and plants.

    The same goes for bees. “We learned at the FAO training that we use antibiotics without fully understanding the consequences,” Martha says. “Every choice we make ripples through our ecosystem,” she adds.

    Another critical factor is that some beekeepers combine beekeeping with crop and animal farming, using antibiotics to control diseases in crops and livestock. While bees may not be the target, this approach has inadvertently introduced AMR to their bee colonies.

    This matters all the more because honey production in Ghana is not just a livelihood; it’s a pillar for rural communities and a source of economic stability. In 2019, the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana conducted a study in the Northern Region of the country and discovered antibiotic residues in both imported and locally produced honey, underlining the contamination risks that could diminish consumer trust and potentially impact honey sales negatively.

    Adopting sustainable practices that cut down on the use of antimicrobials does more than just improve honey quality. It bolsters local economies, protects public health and enhances the resilience and biodiversity of ecosystems.

    By improving hygiene and management practices, Martha is determined to protect her bees and produce honey that’s safer for everyone. She has also integrated AMR education into local training sessions she runs for a beekeeping non-profit, helping other beekeepers understand the risks of indiscriminate antibiotic use. Her commitment is echoed by the other 62 workshop participants, who dove into practical lessons on bee disease management, AMR risks and sustainable practices.

    For local beekeepers like Martha, FAO is helping to spread the message that adopting these practices does more than just improve honey quality; it bolsters their local economy, protects public health and enhances the resilience and biodiversity of their ecosystems.