| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
The World Food Programme (WFP) will be distributing over 18,000 mt of food aid, worth approximately US $14 million, in Cameroon over the next four years, Dali Belgasmi, WFP country representative, told IRIN on Friday.
Over half the food, 9,429 mt of cereals, has been allocated to an emergency operation taking place this year in the north and extreme north of the country.
"The crops grown by the vulnerable people in those regions have been badly affected by drought, locusts and elephants," Belgasmi said. "The operation will benefit some 660,000 people, most of whom are women."
WFP will provide two 50-kilogramme bags of corn and sorghum meal per family, to be distributed by national and international NGOs from warehouses in Maroua, capital of the Extreme North province. Of this food aid, worth about US $5 million, over 90 percent will go to the Extreme North and 10 percent to the North province.
Belgasmi said he would be leading a mission of donor representatives to Maroua on Tuesday 30 March to meet NGOs and authorities there to assess the current situation. "We will then decide how, when, and where to distribute this food aid, to ensure effectiveness and transparency."
The remainder of the food, 8,571 mt, will be allocated to a rural primary school feeding programme in the East, Adamaoua, North and Extreme North provinces. The daily school-feeding programme will run for four years, benefit 49,000 students and cost US $9 million, Belgasmi said.
In addition, 16,000 primary school girls will each receive one bag of rice and 10 kilogrammes of beans per quarter to take home to their families. WFP has a special commitment to supporting women, Belgasmi said.
[ENDS]
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 17:24:24 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.ocha.unon.org> Subject: Cameroon: WFP to distribute over 18,000 mt of food aid [19990327]
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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