WFP disposes of 365 mt of food aid in South Darfur

Feb 25, 2007 (NYALA, South Darfur) — Starting on 21 February, World Food Programme (WFP) began the disposal of 365 metric tons of mixed food commodities that were damaged and unfit for human consumption, the WFP said in a press release.

A displaced Sudanese man guards humanitarian aid from the World Food Program at Kalma refugee camp near Nyala town in Sudan’s south Darfur region.

The disposal is part of normal operations. The commodities currently being disposed of were not discovered and seized by authorities, but rather they were identified by WFP as having been damaged during transport to South Darfur and were therefore unfit to be distributed to beneficiaries.

The disposal was planned in advance with the full knowledge and participation of the authorities. A Disposal Committee made up of representatives from WFP, the Ministry of Health, the Humanitarian Aid Commission, the Environmental Department and the Police are observing the process.

The food aid that is being destroyed in Nyala represents less than 0.01 per cent of the total food aid distributed by WFP in Darfur last year. In 2006, WFP distributed 387,000 metric tons of food aid in Darfur, feeding an average of 2.5 million people per month – with the peak number reaching almost 3 million people in September.

WFP’s operation in Darfur is huge, and the food is trucked thousands of kilometers from Port Sudan before reaching its final destination. As with any large operation, from time to time some food may become damaged during transport (for example by water or diesel fuel) and some may become unfit for human consumption.

WFP said very careful about the quality of food distributed to beneficiaries. WFP regularly inspects its food aid commodities and the warehouse facilities used to store the food. If there are any irregularities they are promptly corrected. If there is damage to food and it is deemed unfit for human consumption, the authorities are informed and the food is disposed of according to WFP policy in the presence of authorities.

(WFP)