In a momentous event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the World Food Program (WFP), Regional Director for Asia-Pacific John Aylieff underlined the organization’s pivotal role in assisting governments worldwide to establish robust food security and social protection programs.

During the launch of the WFP’s 2022 annual country report summary, Aylieff emphasized the urgent need to fortify food systems in the face of rapid climate change, enabling nations and the Pacific region to empower their citizens to overcome hunger and poverty.

He says the WFP’s foray into the Pacific began in 2015 with the establishment of an office in Fiji.

Since then, the organization has been committed to fostering resilience in food systems and supporting governments in implementing effective national responses, which are crucial in times of disaster and crisis.

“What we did was respond to a request from the government of Vanuatu, to deploy experts in emergency food responses, logistics and telecommunications. Those experts became part of the government’s response, so providing discrete services and equipment to shore up the national response.”

Instead of directly delivering food or cash assistance post-emergency, Aylieff states the WFP focuses on enabling sovereign nations to feed their people by strengthening their measurable systems.

The Director clarified that WFP does not act as the primary provider of supply chain logistics in emergency telecommunications responses.

Rather, the organization works collaboratively with nations to identify gaps in their national supply chains and distribution systems, helping them equip and prepare these systems for effective emergency response.

The World Food Program’s steadfast dedication to building national capacities and reinforcing food systems emerges as a vital pillar in the global fight against hunger and poverty.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.