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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D, has provided €20m as an advance payment of Ireland’s 2017 contribution to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). This is in addition to Ireland’s 2016 contribution of €20 million which was paid in July. This advance will significantly contribute to enhance WFP's capability to address the growing humanitarian crises that our world is facing. Ireland has a strategic partnership agreement with the WFP for the years 2016 to 2018.
Minister Creed stated, “This advance payment for 2017, while generally targeted at WFP’s emergency and protracted relief operations, will give WFP the flexibility to plan and target this funding in the most strategic, efficient and effective manner. This support is particularly necessary in the context of the current crisis in the Syria region where large parts of our funding will be targeted.”
Thanking Ireland for its contribution, Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said: “On behalf of the World Food Programme and the millions of people we serve, I would like to thank the Government of Ireland for its EUR20 million unearmarked contribution for 2017. We are grateful for Ireland’s timely and reliable support, which provides life-saving assistance to those facing food insecurity in several areas of the world. WFP’s partnership with Ireland is a fine example of good humanitarian donorship, which will enable us to take further steps towards our common goal of achieving Zero Hunger”
“This advance brings total Overseas Development Aid spending by my Department to €43 million this year” Minister Creed concluded. “In addition to payment of Ireland’s annual subscription to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), my Department will also support specific worthwhile projects including: FAO’s emergency support for vulnerable farm households in the Syria region; projects building agricultural value chains and reducing food loss and waste in Africa; and a number of initiatives on climate change and sustainable agriculture.”
“Achieving food security for all is at the heart of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO is very grateful to the Government of Ireland for its support to achieve this goal, such as through improving food and nutrition security of vulnerable households affected by the Syria crisis within the country and the region, reducing food losses in food grain supply chains in Timor Leste and in Malawi and Supporting Rift Valley Fever Preparedness in West Africa, as part of FAO’s contribution to One Health ” stated Mr Daniel Gustafson, Deputy Director-General of the FAO, thanking Ireland for its contribution.
Note to Editors
UN World Food Programme
WFP is a United Nations organisation responsible for the delivery of food assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world partnering with other United Nations agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector to enable people, communities and countries to meet their own food needs. WFP is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, and is funded exclusively from voluntary contributions. In addition to DAFM’s core funding of WFP, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also provides funding to WFP for crisis programmes in specific countries and regions.
UN Food and Agriculture Organisation
FAO is a United Nations organisation is mandated to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems and increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises.
Total Overseas Development Aid expenditure by DAFM 2016
WFP
World Food Programme contribution 2016 €20,000,000
World Food Programme contribution advance 2017 €20,000,000

FAO
FAO and related annual subscriptions €1,971,805
Specific projects under auspices of FAO:
FAO - Response to the Syria Crisis €361,000
FAO – Ethiopia seed distribution €100,000
FAO - Food Losses in Africa €100,000
FAO - Inclusive Business Models €100,000
FAO: Support to Rift Valley Fever Preparedness in West Africa €75,000
FAO: Committee on Food Security – High Level Panel of Experts €50,000
International Crop Trust Fund €50,000
FAO - LEAP (Livestock Environmental Assessment Partnership) €45,000
FAO: GASCA (Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture Facilitation Unit) €45,000
FAO: GASCL (Global Agenda of Action in Support of sustainable livestock sector development) €45,000
FAO: IPCC Expert Meeting on Climate Change, Land Use and Food Security € 15,000
Total ODA spend by DAFM 2016 €42,957,805