Senior USAID official visits Sri Lanka to understand needs of food-insecure communities

Tuesday, 21 February 2023 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Director for Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean Stephanie Wilcock, with a group of people in Ratnapura enrolled to receive WFP cash assistance through USAID funding

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Director for Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean Stephanie Wilcock, on a visit to Sri Lanka. During the visit, Wilcock met with poor rural communities to understand their food and nutrition needs, and how WFP’s US-funded programs will help them overcome challenges brought on by the economic crisis.

As part of the visit, Wilcock travelled to Ratnapura, where she spoke with food-insecure families faced with high food prices and unemployment. The community will soon receive US-funded cash assistance through WFP worth Rs. 20,000 (approximately $ 55) for four consecutive months which will empower them with the choice to meet their essential needs in local markets, while also helping to boost the economy.

“Sri Lanka continues to experience significantly high levels of food insecurity, affecting over 30% of the population, most notably among the poor,” said WFP Sri Lanka Acting Country Director Gerard Rebello. “We are extremely grateful for the invaluable support from the Government and people of the United States, which has been critical in enabling WFP to expand its emergency assistance. The funding from USAID will help WFP address humanitarian needs and prevent food insecurity from deteriorating further.”

The United States has funded nearly one-third of Sri Lanka’s emergency operation requirement, with a contribution of $ 20 million (Rs. 7.3 billion) in 2022. The funds allow WFP to provide cash, food assistance and value vouchers to food-insecure families, and to support national food and nutrition programmes, including school meals and Thriposha, a fortified blended food product for pregnant and nursing mothers and young children.

USAID’s long-time support for the Government of Sri Lanka through WFP has helped improve the country’s capacity in disaster risk management, particularly against natural hazards. During the trip, Wilcock also visited an emergency operations centre in Ratnapura to observe how US funding has enabled district-level emergency coordination systems development. Wilcock was given an overview of how the centre provides timely information to safeguard communities from natural hazards such as floods and landslides.

WFP, with funding from donors like the US, has reached two million people since June 2022 through its emergency operation, with plans to reach 3.4 million people with food and nutrition assistance in the coming months.