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WFP in Asia

WFP in ActionWFP assists over 40 million hungry people in 14 countries in Asia,

runs an airline in Afghanistan for humanitarian workers, and is

responsible for a UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Malaysia

which deploys assets during a crisis for Asia, the Pacific, and beyond.

WFP is part of the United Nations system, and is funded entirely by

voluntary donations.

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Hunger in Asia Despite its rapid economic growth, the Asia Pacific region is home to an

estimated 642 million hungry people – more than any other continent –

and it has more than half of the world’s billion undernourished.

This plight of the poorest has been compounded by commercial food prices

that have not significantly declined since their 2008 record highs and the

global financial crisis which has impacted on remittances, the bedrock of

many Asian economies.

How WFP Helps WFP’s first priority is to save lives in a crisis. The organisation has championed the

expansion of early warning and preparedness capabilities, and brings years of

emergency response experience to a region repeatedly battered by natural disasters.

WFP fights for the elimination of child hunger worldwide, particularly by providing

children with meals in schools.

Maternal and child health and nutrition programmes provide nutritional support to

new mothers and children. The first 1000 days from the womb to two years of age

are vital in a child’s development, and where a proper diet can help break the cycle

of poverty.

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Communities are also helped out of the poverty trap through food-for-asset projects

designed to build or repair vital infrastructure that promotes self-reliance.

WFP also has responsibility for providing telecommunications and logistics to

support the entire humanitarian community during a crisis – trucks, ships, planes,

trains, helicopters, and warehousing, as well as data, voice and other vital

communications infrastructure.

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Ready and AbleAsia is afflicted by more recurring natural disasters than anywhere else in the

world – including volcanoes, floods, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and

typhoons. In 2009 alone, there were 245 natural disasters across the continent of

which 224 were weather-related. The 2010 monsoon floods in Pakistan continued

this trend.

The future trajectory of climate change has massive implications for Asia. Its natural

vulnerability is compounded by the increasing frequency and acuteness of natural

disasters, threatening farming communities in low-lying areas and heavily

populated agricultural zones, particularly those near coastlines.

WFP Asia is primed for emergency response across the region, maintaining a

deep-field presence of skilled staff close to those most likely to need assistance in

times of crisis. State-of-the-art simulation technology is used to ensure WFP offices

are equipped and ready to respond to sudden-onset disasters.

A humanitarian response depot in Subang, Malaysia, is able to provide immediate

logistical reinforcement and supplies to emergency operations. Further “first wave”

reinforcement is rapidly available from a regional bureau in Bangkok, Thailand.

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India

970,000

Afghanistan

7 million

Pakistan

19 million

Bangladesh

4.5 million

Nepal

2.3 million

Sri Lanka

1.7 million

Myanmar

1.3 million

Laos

840,000

Bhutan

35,000

Cambodia

1 millionHumanitarianResponse Depot,Subang,Malaysia

Asia Regional Bureau, Bangkok,Thailand

Where we workFigures indicate number of people WFP aimed to assist in 2010

Indonesia 590,000

Phillippines

2 million

Timor Leste

430,000

Democratic People’sRepublic of Korea

2 million

The Right Food at the Right Time WFP is committed to providing the most vulnerable with the right food, at the right

time, to ensure they are able to fight off under-nutrition during times of crisis.

This means ensuring the most nutritious products available are given to young

children who are at particular risk.

Scientific evidence shows that the first 1000 days of a child’s life – from the womb

to two years of age – are absolutely critical. A child who misses out on proper

nutrition during this time can suffer irreversible physical and intellectual

impairment.

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In Asia, WFP is at the cutting edge of developing new ready-to-use supplementary

foods designed to prevent malnutrition, particularly in young children. Increasingly,

these highly nutritious foods and nutritious additives are being included in regular

WFP programmes.

WFP Asia also supports the local production of specialised food and micronutrient

powders in countries across the region.

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Doing it ThemselvesWFP works with governments to build country-led solutions to hunger and

food insecurity.

Our food-for-assets programmes help people build agricultural and other

infrastructure which helps them escape the poverty trap and become self-sufficient.

Food-for-training gives people the skills they need to fend for themselves.

Purchase for Progress (P4P) uses WFP’s purchasing power in Asia to offer

smallholder farmers opportunities to access agricultural markets, to become

competitive players in those markets and thus to improve their lives.

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WFP has been buying food locally for many years. In 2009, WFP spent over

US$150 million buying food in countries where we work in Asia. Local production

of fortified biscuits and blended foods is also a priority for WFP in the region.

Across Asia, WFP is working with governments to find innovative solutions to

hunger and provide the knowhow which will allow nations to ensure their own food

security in the future.

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Partnerships for ChangeTo meet the increasing challenges of reaching those in need, WFP works with the

private sector, celebrities, and many other partners who are committed to the fight

against hunger. In Asia WFP works with some of the biggest names in the private

sector including, Yum Brands!, TNT, LG, and Unilever, to respond to disasters and

work together on long-term, sustainable solutions through development.

Aligning a brand name with WFP not only enhances a corporate image, it also

demonstrates a tangible, results-oriented social commitment that resonates with

employees, partners, consumers, investors and the public at large.

Help us help them

Severe flooding in Asia in recent weeks has left hundreds of thousands homeless

and destitute. Water, as far as the eye can see. From Laos to the Philippines, World Food

Programme emergency teams are working around the clock to turn hunger into hope

for families who have lost everything.

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Lives have been washed away

Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Actor Jang Dong

Gun is a WFP

Ambassador

Against Hunger

in South Korea

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As WFP is on the frontline of major emergencies and in the forefront of the news,

partners also benefit from high-level media coverage, especially of joint projects,

sponsorship programmes, and direct assistance during a crisis.

Whether it be funding from foundations or grants, individual private donations,

employee payroll deduction campaigns, corporate matching, or cause-related

marketing, WFP could be a powerful partner for you.

Through Project Laser Beam, WFP is working in a new public private partnership to

eradicate malnutrition, with an initial focus on Bangladesh and Indonesia.

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WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency

fighting hunger worldwide.

In Asia, WFP assists more than 40 million people in

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India,

Indonesia, DPR Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan,

Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste.

WFP Regional Bureau for Asia

7th Floor Wave Place Building

55 Wireless Road, Patumwan

Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Tel: (66) 2 655 4115

Fax: (66) 2 659 8603

Management – ext 2120

Partnerships – ext 2520

Media Relations – ext 2160