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| Food Security: International Assistance |
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After conducting a joint FAO/WFP assessment mission in 1997, WFP began providing emergency food assistance to 4.6 million
people in Indonesia between the period of May 1998 and May 1999. Three operational strategies were adopted.
First, WFP focused on the most vulnerable groups of nursing mothers and children, providing them with blended food. Second,
WFP carried out Food For Work community development activities such as farm rehabilitation and community infrastructure
activities in close cooperation with Indonesian ministries, local governments, and with other UN agencies. Lastly, WFP
implemented relief distribution activities to families eating only once per day.
In addition to WFP’s food assistance activities, many non-governmental organizations have contributed to alleviating food
insecurity in Indonesia. These NGOs include the Catholic Relief Service (CRS), CARE, International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and the World Vision. They supported WFP’s Food for Work activities and distributed blended food to people
in various regions of Indonesia.
While WFP’s emergency mission ended in May 1999, people in Indonesia, especially those living near urban areas, were
still experiencing food insecurity. As a result, WFP decided to resume its food aid program for the urban poor from April
2000 to September 2001.
Through the implementation of the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO), WFP is providing food assistance to
2.4 million people, especially to women and children. In contrast to the previous operation of 1998/1999, WFP is delegating
much of the food assistance operation to the NGOs. In the PRRO, NGOs identify the beneficiaries and control project
resources, while WFP concentrates on supporting these NGOs in implementation and monitoring.
For more information please see Emergency Assistance to Drought Victims.
Due to international assistance, much of the food insecurity in Indonesia seems to have been alleviated as of 2000.
However, many are still concerned about the food situation. In December 2000, the worst torrential rains in decades hit
Western Sumatra, killing almost one hundred people and blocking access to foods amid dire infrastructure conditions. In
addition, the production of dry season rice, which was nearly at harvest, was seriously damaged. Overall, food security
in Indonesia seems to be a continuous concern due to urban poverty, climatic disasters in the 2000s and the increasing
political and civil unrests around the archipelago.
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