About WFP

The World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. In 2008, WFP delivered food to more than 102 million people in 78 countries.

WFP logo Supporting people who cannot help themselves

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency for fighting hunger and is the world's largest humanitarian agency. In 2009 WFP aims to reach 105 million people with food assistance in 74 countries.

WFP reaches out to hungry people who cannot help themselves, through emergency operations as well as longer term development programmes. Its beneficiaries include victims of war and natural disasters, families affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans and school-aged children in poor communities.

school child enjoying a WFP school mealGlobal school feeding campaign

As the largest provider of nutritious meals to poor school children, WFP's global campaign aims to ensure the world's undernourished children are educated, and that no child must go to school hungry. Unilever's partnership with the WFP has been developed specifically to strengthen the School Feeding programme.

Photo courtesy of WFP/Jorge Gamboa.

WFP believes that providing a nutritious meal at school is a simple but effective way to give poor children the chance to learn and thrive. Statistics show that when meals are provided at school, enrolment increases dramatically and performance improves. As well as these in-school meals, WFP may also provide take-home rations, especially as an extra incentive to attract girls to school.

Research also confirms that basic education is the most effective investment for improving economies and creating literate, self-reliant and healthy societies.

In 2009, more than 20 million schoolchildren received school meals or take-home rations from WFP. It costs just 25 US cents on average for WFP to feed a child at school.

At a glance

WFP's development projects free the poor from the need to provide food for their families, giving them time and resources to invest in better houses, clinics and schools, new agricultural skills and a better future.

  • In 2008 WFP fed over 102 million people in 78 countries, including 83 million women and children.

  • In 2008 WFP delivered almost four million metric tons of food to hungry people in some of the most remote and insecure corners of the globe.

  • WFP's most visible activities are its emergency operations, through which it provides fast relief to millions of people who are the victims of natural or manmade disasters

  • WFP uses longer term food aid to help rebuild communities following humanitarian crises triggered by armed conflict, drought or floods

  • Development activities include school feeding, mother and child nutrition and health, food-for-work, food-for-training and HIV/AIDS programmes

  • For every €10 donated to WFP, more than €9 directly benefits the hungry poor

  • At any given time, WFP has 40 ships, 5 000 trucks and 20 aircraft on the move somewhere in the world to deliver food assistance.