World Food Program warns of food crisis in Ukraine – Germany boss: “It’s a race against time”
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has expressed concern about the food situation of the civilian population in Ukraine. “The situation for the people in Ukraine has dramatically worsened as a result of the bitter fighting,” WFP Germany director Martin Frick told the newspapers of the Funke media group. People would stay in cellars and could only run errands at great risk.
“We are receiving reports from Kyiv and Kharkiv in particular that food is running out and drinking water is becoming scarce,” said Frick. The priority of the UN organization is now to establish supply routes to Kyiv and the epicenters of the conflict before the fighting escalates further. WFP is expanding its presence across the region, “but it’s a race against time.”
An international team is already in Ukraine and neighboring countries to coordinate help. Trucks with 400 tons of food are on their way from Turkey. “Fighting and refugee movements throughout the country are making the situation confusing for the helpers,” said the representative of the World Food Program in Germany.
According to WFP estimates, the Ukraine war is also threatening to worsen hunger crises worldwide. In a year when the world is already facing “an unprecedented level of hunger”, it is particularly “tragic” that hunger is reaching Europe’s breadbasket of all places, said World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley. on Friday.
Russia and Ukraine account for around 29 percent of the global wheat trade. Serious restrictions on production and exports could drive up food prices further, the World Food Program warned. These are already at a ten-year high.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), world market prices reached a new record high in February. Accordingly, the price index for food rose by 3.9 percent in February compared to the previous month. With 140.7 points, he surpassed the previous record of 137.6 points from February 2011. The Price Index tracks the monthly change in international prices for a basket of basic commodities. (AFP)
