WFP Calls For Concerted International Action to Address Global Food Crisis

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The World Food Programme (WFP) is pleased that the recent meeting of the G8 in Japan made commitment to support efforts to soften the impact of high food prices on the poor.

“What we have seen at the G8 summit is the resolve to help protect the poorest from the devastating effect of high food prices and to find long term solutions to the food crisis,” said Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme.

“We need to follow through with practical measures that can make a real difference in addressing urgent hunger needs throughout the world,” she added.

What the WFP says is needed to actualize this commitment is concerted international action that will address the effects of high food prices on the poor.


The WFP has put forward the following actions:

• Un-tied or un-earmarked donations that give WFP greater flexibility for procuring and pre-positioning food for the hungry.

• The lifting of export restrictions on all humanitarian food purchases.

• Urgent consideration of the possible need for humanitarian global grain reserves.


“We are living in unusual times, and this requires practical solutions now if we are going to confront the challenges we face,” said Sheeran.

“The G8 expressed resolve, which I welcome. Now comes the hard part: solving problems and reaching as many hungry people as possible in as sustainable a way as possible.”

The WFP is on the right track here it will take cooperation between nations to enable food to flow to the areas where it is most needed and for the programs that will enable people to grow their own food to be established.