World Food Programme wins 2020 Nobel Peace Prize: All you need to know about WFP

Team Udayavani, Oct 9, 2020, 5:02 PM IST

The Nobel Peace Prize 2020 Friday was awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe. The announcement was made in Oslo by Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Nobel Committee.

World Food Programme

The World Food Programme is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.

It was established in 1961 by the United Nations (UN) to help alleviate world hunger. Its headquarters are in Rome, Italy.

According to its website, It has 5,600 trucks, 30 ships and nearly 100 planes on the move, delivering food and other assistance to those in most need.

The WFP’s programs are aimed at helping the more than 15 percent of the world’s population that is hungry. Its Food-For-Life program aids victims of both natural and human-made disasters by collecting and transporting food to crisis areas. Contributions of commodities, cash, and services (primarily shipping) help beneficiaries to maintain balanced diets.

From 1996 the WFP’s Executive Board consisted of 36 states, half elected by the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and half elected by the council of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).