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Interagency Cooperation Enables Large Food Aid Donation to Pakistan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2009
With fighting between government forces and militants in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province on the rise, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) increased exponentially in early 2009, with estimated figures growing from several hundreds of thousands to over two million in mere months. In an effort to improve a rapidly deteriorating food security situation, USAID assessed emergency response options and decided to incorporate interagency coordination, the use of local and regional procurement, Food for Peace (FFP) emergency resources and prepositioned commodities.
- In early April, FFP contributed $21 million of Title II emergency resources to the World Food Program (WFP), sending 24,200 metric tons (MT) of U.S. commodities to support their IDP activities. In addition, given the urgency of the IDP situation and the logistical constraints involved in shipping U.S. commodities abroad, USAID began coordinating with WFP to purchase 13,700 metric tons of commodities, valued at $8.8 million, through local and regional procurement (LRP). In May 2009, all 13,700 metric tons were purchased and rapidly transported to Pakistan's IDP camps and humanitarian hubs for direct distribution to beneficiaries.
- As the number of IDPs grew - reaching as many as 2.2 million by the end of May 2009 - so did the level of USAID assistance. To cope with the surge in IDPs, that same month, FFP contributed an additional 15,470 MT of U.S. commodities to WFP, valued at $15 million. USAID also contributed an additional $26.6 million of LRP resources to WFP, allowing the procurement of 44,000 MT of commodities. By the end of May 2009, USAID had provided a total of $71.4 million in Title II and LRP resources to help meet the needs of Pakistan's IDP population.
- The USAID LRP resources helped meet immediate demand, in early June, but FFP and WFP worked together to speed up the arrival of U.S. commodities. Through the use of prepositioned commodities and ship diversions, FFP was able to substantially reduce the average amount of time between procurement and direct distribution of food aid commodities. Soon thereafter, 4,000 MT of vegetable oil were transported to IDP camps and hubs for distribution.
- With initial supplies of food aid in place, FFP looked forward to maintaining U.S. assistance levels to meet the high levels of need. Supported by FFP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) facilitated the transfer of 56,800 MT of U.S. commodities from Pakistan's Ministry of Agriculture to WFP's IDP response. By the end of July, USDA had committed commodity and cash resources to WFP totaling $44 million.
- By August of 2009, security conditions were improving in Pakistan, and over one million IDPs had returned to their places of origin. However, given continued unrest and the fragile food security situation, FFP contributed another 23,000 MT of U.S. commodities, valued at $20 million, to continue assistance to IDPs and returnees over the next six months.
USAID was able to quickly and efficiently respond to the immediate food needs of the Pakistani IDPs with the resources available to it, including Title II funds, local and regional procurement, as well as prepositioned commodities, in its effort to reach the most food insecure populations.
For more information about USAID and its Food for Peace program please go to: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/ffp/
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.
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