UN supports southern African farmers to feed masses

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A record amount of food was purchased in southern Africa by the United Nations World Food Programme last year, enabling them to feed millions of people across the African continent, while also supporting local economy.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced their purchase of a record amount of food was purchased in the southern regions of Africa.

The food bought will empower the WFP to feed millions of Africans across the continent, while supporting farmers in the southern African district.

A total amount of $190 million was spent by the agency last year in buying food of more than 550,000 metric tons.

Included in this were pulses, corn-soya blend, cereals, vegetable oil, and salt and sugar.

The bulk of the food was distributed among South Africa, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.

Mustapha Darboe, Regional Director of the WFP for Southern, Central and Eastern Africa said: “These record purchases played a huge part in ensuring that WFP was able to provide timely and sufficient food assistance to millions of hungry people across Africa.”

In this time of escalated food prices, purchasing in southern Africa was still be a cost effective option, noted Mr Darboe. Local agricultural economies, notably small scale farmers and traders, also received a much needed boost from the purchase.

The WFP’s southern African purchase added up to one fifth of the total purchases of food made by the agency in 2008. This broke their previous record, set in 2005, which was a total of 500,000 metric tons for a $100 million, also in southern Africa.