The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that over 200,000 refugees in Tanzania will only receive half of their required food rations due to a critical funding shortage. The WFP Country Director, Ms Sarah Gordon-Gibson, explained that the food assistance provided to refugees in the form of monthly food baskets is affected by the funding crisis. Since 2020, this assistance has been designed to meet the minimum recommended 2,100 kilocalories but the chronic funding shortfalls have led to a reduction in ration levels.
Earlier in March this year, further reductions were made, dropping the ration from meeting 80% of food needs to 65%. It is expected that in June, the ration will decrease even further to 50%, leaving thousands of refugees struggling to meet their nutritional needs. The WFP urgently requires $21 million (49bn/-) to provide food assistance to Tanzanian refugees for the next six months and prevent any further cuts.
Currently, Tanzania hosts over 200,000 refugees, 70% of whom have fled from Burundi, and the remaining 30% from the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the situation has been compounded by an increase in new arrivals, fleeing the unrest in the North Kivu region, leading to increased food prices and further exacerbating the condition faced by refugees. The WFP has expressed deep concern that further cuts to rations will force refugees into further vulnerabilities and has urged governments, donors, the private sector, and the international community to assist in responding to this crisis and ensuring that vulnerable people meet their basic food and nutrition needs.
