Global Policy Forum

The World Food Programme (WFP) has had to reduce the rations given to 1.6 million of its vulnerable beneficiaries in Angola. During January the UN food agency was only able to maintain full rations for 100,000 of the most vulnerable of its 1.7 million beneficiaries, due to breaks in its food aid pipeline and limited access to parts of the country. It was also unable to pre-position stocks in areas cut off by heavy rains.

WFP spokeswoman Penelope Howrath said that "WFP assistance to around 1.7 million vulnerable Angolans, mostly food insecure and highly vulnerable returnees and demobilised former [rebel] UNITA combatants, was being severely hampered by food pipeline and access difficulties during January".

She said WFP was only able to provide full rations "nationwide to around 100,000 of the most vulnerable, such as malnourished children, people receiving treatment for medical conditions, and returning refugees from Namibia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia".

The cut in rations was due to the late arrival of an international shipment of pulses. "In addition, logistical difficulties caused by washed-out bridges, appalling roads and airstrips made access to beneficiaries extremely difficult in terms of replenishing our [food] stocks for distribution," Howrath said.In its latest situation report WFP said heavy rains had damaged transport infrastructure, and the ever-present threat of landmines had limited the agency's access to needy populations. "The areas particularly affected are Mavinga and Menongue in [southeastern] Kaundo Kubango province, and [the central] Huambo province," Howrath noted.

She said WFP "usually pre-positions stocks a month before the rains start" in areas that are likely to be affected. However, "due to delayed shipments in mid-2003, we had insufficient supplies to adequately pre-position stocks in locations which would become vulnerable during the rainy season". The agency's situation report said it was "working with partners to find alternative solutions [to reach communities that have been cut off], such as urgent road repairs supported by food-for-work projects and/or arranging alternative distribution points with beneficiary communities".

The agency added that cargo flights to Mavinga "are being significantly hampered due to extremely degraded airstrip conditions, which have been exacerbated by heavy rainfall". The heavy rains have also resulted in an increasing number of landmine accidents. "Many roads are being closed to UN staff, further hampering WFP distributions," the organisation said.

"Overland supply routes to Bié and Kuando Kubango provinces are restored but continue to be threatened by appalling road conditions and landmine accidents. Despite repairs to two bridges by the government, overland access to Kuito [in the central Bié province] remains problematic. On 19 January another bridge, over Caluapanda River, 8 km west of Kuito, collapsed after heavy rains," WFP said. Where access to beneficiaries was possible, distributions were underway throughout the country. But WFP warned that food stocks could run out in June.

"Our current situation is: we have further international shipments underway, and we are happy to be able to announce that we have a new contribution from the US today [Tuesday]. They have given us an in-kind contribution of maize, [corn-soya blend] CSB, and pulses [valued at] US $23.4 million. We've also got a Japanese cash donation that just came in, of US $500,000 ... this means that we have food now to last us until June. [However,] at the end of June we are going to start having pipeline problems again, so we are appealing urgently for further donor support," Howrath added. She explained that while June "seems a long time away", a "few months' lead time" was needed to get food from donor nations to WFP's various distribution points in Angola.

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