In Numbers
US$ 20 million June – November 2019 Net Funding Requirements
2,676 mt of food distributed in May 2019
611,521 people assisted in May 2019
Operational Updates
In May, WFP assisted 611,521 people across DPR Korea, distributing 1,616 mt of fortified foods under the nutrition programme, and 1,060 mt of maize under the Food Assistance for Asset programme. That includes nutrition assistance for 6,316 children in boarding school, 325,000 children in nurseries, 101,100 children in kindergartens, 2,972 children in paediatric wards/hospitals, 114,513 pregnant and breastfeeding women and, 8,034 Tuberculosis (TB) patients. WFP’s nutritional support is focused on areas of the country where food and nutrition security are fragile and reaches 60 counties across nine provinces every month.
Food assistance was provided to 53,590 Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) beneficiaries in response to the dry spell through small-scale activities to assist the farming communities with water catchments, and micro irrigation canals.
In May 2019, in close coordination with the World Health Organisation and the Government, WFP began providing fortified cereals and biscuits to drugresistant and drug-sensitive TB patients, in North & South Hamgyong, Kangwon and Ryanggang, through provincial and county hospitals, as well as to TB outpatients.
In May, WFP recommenced nutrition assistance to about 100,000 children in kindergartens in North Hamgyong, Kangwon, South Hangwae, North Pyongan and Ryanggang, which had been suspended since November 2017 due to funding shortfalls.
In May, a Swedish delegation visited WFP-supported fortified food production factories in South Pyongan province, as well as a WFP-supported nursery, paediatric ward and households. Sweden is a regular donor to WFP in DPRK.
Operational plans are currently being updated following the May 2019 rapid food security assessment (details overleaf), and WFP is focusing its efforts on assisting more people in more places, while maintaining its focus on children and pregnant and breastfeeding women – those most vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition.