The Government of Japan has provided an additional contribution of $2 million (nearly XOF 1.3 billion) to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to help meet the unprecedented food and nutrition needs in Mali.

With this funding, WFP will provide multifaceted food and nutrition assistance to 89,000 women, men and children affected by the crisis in the central, northern and southern regions of Mali.

“This additional funding is vital for the communities we serve in this time of fragile livelihoods,” said Eric PERDISON, WFP Representative and Country Director in Mali.

“As part of the national food insecurity response plan, we will provide cash transfers to the most vulnerable people, allowing them to choose what they need to feed their families and, simultaneously, strengthen local markets and develop food. local economy.

Japan’s contribution comes at a time when nearly 2 million people in Mali (10% of the total population) are in acute food insecurity during the agricultural and pastoral lean season (June to August 2022), compared to 1.3 million in the same period last year. . Communities affected by drought and insufficient rainfall continue to suffer from the negative effects of COVID-19 and inter-communal conflict, with one in two households in Mali unable to meet their food needs as they grapple with rising food prices.

Japan has been a long-standing strategic partner of the WFP, particularly in Mali, where it helps fight food insecurity and build resilient communities through the creation of assets such as pastoral wells, market gardening, income-generating activities, as well as nutritional support for pregnant and lactating women and children.