The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) in Southern Africa on Tuesday announced that it spent nearly R600-million ($100-million) in 2005 — double the amount in 2004 — buying more than half a million tonnes of food in the region to support vulnerable people across Africa.
A total of 507 112 tonnes of food was bought in the region by WFP for distribution in 24 African countries, including nine in Southern Africa: Angola, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
About 337 000 tonnes of food, worth R372-million ($62-million) was purchased in South Africa by WFP’s regional headquarters in Johannesburg.
“In nine countries in southern Africa, more than 10-million vulnerable people received WFP food aid in 2005, and 63% of that food came from South Africa,” said Mike Sackett, WFP’s regional director for Southern Africa.
“South African food producers and suppliers, as well as transport companies and millers, have all played a strategic role in WFP’s work across the continent. We hope this relationship with local suppliers will continue to grow, if prices are favourable,” he added.
To address food aid needs outside the region, food procured by WFP in South Africa last year was sent to Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Sao Tome, Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania.
WFP also spent almost R102-million ($17-million) buying food in Zambia and R60-million ($10-million) in Tanzania in 2005.
WFP was planning to spend as much as R480-million ($80-million) in South Africa over the next 12 months, but current high prices have forced it to keep a careful eye on comparable commodity prices elsewhere.
“All our food aid is paid for through the generosity of donors,” Sackett said.
“That means we have a responsibility to feed as many people as possible with every dollar we spend. So if the cost of purchasing and shipping commodities from another country becomes cheaper than buying in South Africa, we will purchase elsewhere,” he added. – I-Net Bridge