Operational Priorities: OPT – WFP report (excerpts)

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

WFP's Operational Requirements, Shortfalls

and Priorities for 2008

June 2008

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Middle East

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Occupied Palestinian Territory

Major humanitarian needs caused by continuing violence, restricted movement

•  The political stalemate and the related security incidents appear likely to continue, with ensuing humanitarian consequences.

•  The shortage of essential supplies, including fuel, could further disrupt humanitarian operations and weaken further the socio-economic coping mechanisms of the population.

•  High food costs, up by 70% since January 2008, will continue to severely impact food security in Gaza strip. Declining health and nutrition levels among children and women in particular, as well as lack of access to health facilities will continue to be of concern.

occupied Palestinian territory

PRRO 10387.1 – Protracted Relief Operation for Non-Refugee Palestinians

01 September 2007 – 31 August 2009

Under the PRRO, WFP supports over 650,000 of the most vulnerable and food-insecure nonrefugee population in the West Bank and Gaza who have been affected by a steady decline of living standards.

• The project faces a shortage of blended foods this month. Urgent contributions are needed now to avoid further pipeline breaks as of May onwards for this critical operation.

• WFP strongly urges donors to provide funding so it can continue giving food assistance to the growing number of Palestinians impoverished by a nearly seven-month economic blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza.

• Fuel shortages are causing full black-outs in the city of Gaza. Lack of both electricity and cooking gas make it impossible to cook and process food. The local population is having to cut down trees to produce fuel. Although WFP has nearly two months’ food supply for its beneficiaries in Gaza, without power or cooking gas, most of this food cannot be used.

• The PRRO has three fundamental components: (i) protracted and emergency relief; (ii) recovery through support for productive activities and skills development; and (iii) enhanced knowledge, partnerships and advocacy. Some 43 percent of the 665,000 targeted beneficiaries, including 90,000 schoolchildren, will be assisted through relief interventions and 57 percent through recovery activities.

• Full rations are provided for people who are entirely dependent on food assistance; beneficiaries with limited resources receive reduced rations. The PRRO emphasizes selfreliance through productive activities: food for work and food for training concentrate on creating conditions for increased productivity and generating employment; food for education contributes to skill development.

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