The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has offered 20 million dollars to UN World Food Programme (WFP) to support needy Afghans.
WFP representative and country director, Mick Lorentzen, in a statement, said the contribution would enable WFP in Afghanistan to provide food assistance to over 577,000 people in need.
“Almost 70 per cent of the money will be spent in Afghanistan to buy locally-milled, nutrient-enriched flour and salt,’’ Lorentzen said.
According to him, people who will benefit from the donation include those who are internally displaced due to conflict, people affected by natural disasters or living in disaster-prone areas.
He added that those who struggle to feed their families at certain times of the year too would benefit.
“Among those who will receive assistance are nearly 50,000 malnourished children under five and more than 12,000 pregnant women and new mothers.
“Malnutrition remains a significant challenge in Afghanistan, which is why WFP works with millers to enrich wheat flour with essential vitamins and minerals.
“Everyone in Afghanistan eats bread, so fortifying flour is an effective way of improving the nutrition of a large part of the population.
“The WFP plans to assist up to 2.9 million food insecure people in the militancy-hit country in 2017,’’ Lorentzen added. (NAN)