Government cuts forcing World Food Program to reduce rations to most hunger-stricken people, UN warns

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• Governments across the world are pulling back on its humanitarian funding, forcing the World Food Program to cut food rations to the world’s hungriest people.
• The U.N. agency warned that the shortfall of more than 60% may push millions of people across countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, and Haiti toward starvation.
• Although humanitarian needs have increased, this year’s shortfall marked the highest in the history of the World Food Program.

The World Food Program warned Tuesday that humanitarian funding cuts by governments are forcing the U.N. agency to drastically cut food rations to the world’s hungriest people, with each 1% cut in aid risking to push 400,000 people toward starvation.

The agency said the more than 60% funding shortfall this year was the highest in WFP’s 60-year history and marks the first time the Rome-based agency has seen contributions decline while needs rise.

As a result, the WFP has been forced to cut rations in almost half its operations, including in hard-hit places like Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and Haiti. In a statement, WFP warned that 24 million more people could slip into emergency hunger over the next year as a result.

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An Afghan schoolgirl, right, walks past sacks of milled wheat in Afghanistan on June 29, 2008. The World Food Program warned Tuesday that humanitarian funding cuts are forcing the U.N. agency to drastically cut food rations to the world’s hungriest people. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq, File)

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WFP’s executive director, Cindy McCain, said with starvation at record levels, governments should be increasing assistance, not decreasing it.

"If we don’t receive the support we need to avert further catastrophe, the world will undoubtedly see more conflict, more unrest, and more hunger," she said. "Either we fan the flames of global instability, or we work quickly to put out the fire."

The WFP warned that if the trend continues, a "doom loop" will be triggered "where WFP is being forced to save only the starving, at the cost of the hungry," the statement said.