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| Sunday, 22 May 2005 |
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Continuing food aid from WFP The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) had dispatched 50,000 tons of food aid to tsunami hit areas in Sri Lanka beginning from December last year soon after the tsunami struck the island. According to a statement made by the WPF, the Food Aid Organisation of the UN, the WFP is despatching an average of 10,000 tons per month targeting a full food ration for 910,000 people. Anthony Banbury, WFP's Regional Director for Asia commenting on the UN food aid to Sri Lanka said that delivering so much food so quickly was a remarkable achievement and the close cooperation of the Sri Lankan Government and the swift and sustained support of international donors have helped in a big way to keep the food pipeline flowing. Currently, around 40 trucks loaded with up to 400 tons of food aid leave Colombo everyday for the twelve disaster hit areas. In addition, WFP recently sent 500 tons of rice by train to Batticaloa and is planning to send additional aid cargoes by rail to Trincomalee. At the request of the Government, WFP has agreed to continue general food distributions for 910,000 beneficiaries until the end of June. After this period WFP will provide enough aid to ensure that each person receives a full ration-comprising 200g rice, 200g wheat flour, 60g dhal 20g coconut oil and 20g sugar per day. WFP has been functioning in Sri Lanka since 1968 and much progress has been made during that time in the fight against hunger according to Anthony Banbury. |
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