A significant part of the Syrian Crisis has to do with the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons looking to leave to neighboring countries because of a lack of food.
These refugees are malnourished. The problem is that domestic food production and inflation are rising, which hurts the purchasing power of citizens. Moreover, only 5 percent of farmers in Syria were able to harvest winter crops last year. The scarcity is so bad that food was distributed by the World Food Program to 2 million people in areas of both opposition and government control.
The WFP is the largest agency in the world dedicated to fighting food insecurity. WFP operates entirely on donations and works in conjunction with other worldwide agencies, such as the United Nations, UNICEF and NGOs.
The agency operates in countries where its efforts will be the most useful. Its goal is to build self-reliant citizens and not just serve as a temporary fix for hunger. The WFP accomplishes this by engaging local labor to produce food, create jobs and build a sustainable food infrastructure.
WFP is currently working with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and other NGOs inside the country to distribute food. It is providing a supplement for children in the northeast region and food assistance to 85 of IDP’s in Syria’s 12 governorates, or regions.
The WFP has expanded relief for refugees in other states, too, endeavoring to provide food assistance to 800,000 people in refugee camps in neighboring states. It has also begun providing middle-aged children with a midday snack in Jordan.
WFP correctly believes the first step to fighting hunger is to learn more about it, where it exists and why it exists. The next step is finding ways to build a community and a series of institutions that provide for the continued food security of populations and not just temporary assistance.
The Free Rice game online is one such awareness-raising effort. The game donates 10 grains of rice to someone in need for every right answer given by players. WFP also offers an online quiz, and for playing the program, will feed one hungry family.
While there seems to be no permanent solution to hunger in countries of conflict, the best thing to do is educate, raise awareness and start building long-term solutions.
Food insecurity is always a core consequence of conflict, and so it is all the more imperative that organizations like the WFP find a way to help.