NewsFood.com

Dhaka, 22 August 2007 - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is starting a third round of emergency food distributions in ten flood-affected districts of Bangladesh, targeting more than 800,000 people worst hit by the disaster. This follows two earlier distributions to more than 335,000 people.

WFP will distribute over 2,500 metric tons of rice in this round, following a significant contribution of 1.5 million Australian dollars (US$1.3 million) from the Government of Australia to support emergency food assistance. Food distributions will be completed by the end of August.

Destitute

"Thousands of poor families would have remained destitute due to the loss of their crops, livestock and in some cases, family members, as water started receding. The Australian assistance has enabled WFP to respond quickly to feed these vulnerable poor families who are in need of food," said WFP Representative in Bangladesh Douglas Broderick.

In cooperation with Government relief efforts, WFP food assistance is being distributed by WFP staff, Government officials, NGOs and community representatives. The first convoys, carrying high energy biscuits, were organised jointly by WFP and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"WFP stands ready to assist with food support, and we urge more donors to step forward with funding for early recovery programmes which are crucial in serving poor people in the aftermath of bad floods in Bangladesh," said Broderick.