World Food Programme to reduce food rations to Kenya by 30% due to fund shortage

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), that has been hit by a shortage of funds for the second time in six months, will have to reduce its food rations for around half a million refugees living in the Dadaab and Kakuma camps in northern Kenya temporarily.

The fund shortage will result in refugees in the camps receiving around 30% less supply than the usual amount from 15 June. The refugees will receive a smaller quantity of cereals, that will provide only 1,520 kilocalories per day. The recommended calorie intake is 2,100 kilocalories per person per day.

WFP is currently struggling to raise $39.4m to cover shortfalls through January next year, of which $12.4m is urgently required to avoid a critical food gap in August and September.

WFP’s acting country director for Kenya Thomas Hansson said: "We are very worried about how this cut may affect the people who rely on our assistance.

"But our food stocks are running out, and reducing the size of rations is the only way to stretch our supplies to last longer. We hope that this is only a temporary measure and we continue to appeal to the international community to assist."

In December 2014, WFP had to implement another similar cut, where assistance to 1.7 million Syrian refugees had to be suspended.

WFP is responsible for the monthly disbursement of 9,300 metric tonnes of food for 500,000 refugees, that costs approximately $9.6m.

However, WFP added that it will be able to supply food to the region in case it receives a response from donors.