UNWF begins $90m food aid scheme for RI

UNWF begins $90m food aid scheme for RI

JAKARTA (JP): The United Nations World Food Program has
started its US$90 million emergency operation to help feed 5.3
million Indonesians hardest hit by last year's severe drought and
the economic crisis.

WFP country representative Philip J. Clarke said yesterday
that it had received a shipment of 45,000 metric tons of
Australian wheat in the first step of a major humanitarian relief
operation to help the needy.

Under an agreement with the Indonesian government and
Australia, WFP will exchange the wheat for 27,88 tons of rice to
help pregnant women and nursing mothers, children under the age
of five and families surviving on one meal a day.

"The World Food Program has returned to Indonesia to assist
the victims of drought exacerbated by the economic crisis and to
prevent the current food shortage from the developing into a
disaster," Clarke said.

WFP closed its aid operations in 1996 when the Indonesian
government was able to meet food requirements with its own
resources.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past few
months as drought, resulting from the El Nio weather phenomenon,
caused serious crop losses. A severe economic crisis also
undermined the country's ability to import rice.

Total imports of the staple are expected to reach 4.5 million
tons for fiscal year 1998/1999, up from 1.5 million tons in
1996/1997.

"More than 7.5 million people are likely to experience acute
household shortages during the next 12 months," the statement
said.

WFP said that assistance would be provided for people who are
the most seriously affected in eastern Indonesia -- including
West Nusa Tenggara, Irian Jaya, a portion of Maluku province and
Sulawesi, Eastern and Central Kalimantan provinces -- as well as
portions of Sumatra and Central Java.

Most of the aid will be routed to 750,000 people currently
surviving on one meal a day and 708,000 pregnant women, as well
as nursing mothers and children under-fives.

Donors, who have so far contributed 58 percent of the WFP's
food emergency program, are expected to pledge more aid in the
near future.

The United States has contributed 8,700 tons of blended food
and 33,000 tons of rice, Japan 40,702 tons of rice, Germany
13,047 tons of rice and Norway 6,167 tons of rice. (gis/aly)