Global Policy Forum

(in percent)

1991 - 2008

Source: World Food Programme's International Food Aid Information System (INTERFAIS)

(1) Emergency Food Aid is destined to victims of natural or man-made disasters. It is freely distributed to targeted beneficiary groups, and is usually provided on a grant basis. It is channelled multilaterally, through NGOs, or, sometimes, bilaterally.

(2) Project Food Aid aims at supporting specific poverty-reduction and disaster-prevention activities. It is usually freely distributed to targeted beneficiary groups, but may also be sold on the open market and is then referred to as "monetized" food aid. Project food aid is provided on a grant basis and is channelled multilaterally, through NGOs, or bilaterally.

(3) Program Food Aid is usually supplied as a resource transfer for balance of payments or budgetary support activities. Unlike most of the food aid provided for project or emergency purposes, it is not targeted at specific beneficiary groups. It is sold on the open market, and provided either as a grant, or as a loan.

* Global Food Aid Deliveries include all food aid delivered by multilateral, bilateral and NGO channels.

The figures refer to the quantities of food aid actually delivered to recipient countries during the year under review. These quantities may have been decided upon, ordered, shipped, or purchased during the previous year. Cereal quantities are expressed in grain equivalents, other commodities in actual quantities.