About WFP
The World Food Program (WFP) exists in over 120 countries and territories. We provide food and other support to those affected by conflict, climate-related disasters, economic crises, pandemics and other challenges. At the same time, we provide governments with the support and skills to manage food security in the long term. WFP won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, recognising its important role in ending hunger and its strong advocacy for its use of food as a tool for peace.
Simple facts
WFP is fully funded by voluntary donations, raising US$8.3 billion in 2023. In 2023, we provided support to 152 million people.
The global hunger crisis
2025 is expected to be one of the relentless humanitarian needs driven by conflict, climate and escalating economic shocks. This means millions of people around the world are struggling to support their families. Learn more about the hunger crisis.
Funding shortages and rationing reductions
Global humanitarian needs are rising sharply, but funds cannot continue walking. This forced WFP and other organizations to scale back their support and refocus in response to their most serious needs.
Additionally, our teams are becoming more difficult to do their job, and humanitarian access is limited by conflict.
As detailed in WFP 2025 Global Outlook, WFP needs US$16.9 billion to address the humanitarian needs of 123 million vulnerable people in 2025.
Main work areas
Emergency response and preparation
We respond to emergencies caused by conflicts, climate shocks, pandemics and other disasters. As a major body for logistics and emergency communications clusters, we will coordinate responses to large emergency situations on behalf of the wider humanitarian community. Additionally, we work with our partners to provide early warnings and mitigate the impact of looming disasters on our communities. For more information, see the emergency situation we are currently working on.
Every day, WFP can have up to 5,000 trucks, 80 aircraft and 20 ships on the way, providing food and other assistance. Climate behavior
WFP will work with governments and humanitarian partners to respond to many climate-related disasters that will wipe out crops, destroy markets and destroy infrastructure such as roads and bridges. At the same time, we take preemptive actions, including restoring degraded ecosystems that act as shields against disasters. Predictive-based funding allows families to purchase food, strengthen their homes and take other steps to build resilience ahead of climate disasters.
WFP aims to build resilience to 23 million people in 2025 against climate-related and other shocks. End of malnutrition
Sustainable development is only possible in communities where malnutrition is eradicated. WFP research goes beyond emergency interventions to address all forms of malnutrition, including vitamin and mineral defects, overweight and obesity. We deal with malnutrition from the early stages, targeting the first 1,000 days from concept to a child's second birthday. We provide access to healthy diets with a focus on young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those living with HIV.
WFP supported 27 million women and children with measures to prevent and treat malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of 2023.
WFP is the largest humanitarian organisation that implements school environmental programs that improve children's nutrition and health while also increasing access to life-changing education. Feeding sources in their home country provide food for millions of smallholder farmers, increase incomes and boost the local economy. WFP is the secretariat of the School Lunch Union, with over 100 governments and over 140 organisations working to receive healthy, nutritious school lunches by 2030.
In 2023, WFP provided nutritious school lunches, takeaway dishes, or snacks to 21.4 million school children in 61 countries.
Smallholder farmers produce most of the world's food and are important in achieving the zero hanger world. WFP support ranges from business skills training to post-harvest management, to access to finance and roads to markets.
WFP purchased 90,000 tonnes of food from smallholder farmers in 24 countries in 2023, running US$56 million worth of utilising livelihoods and injecting cash into the local economy. Resilience Building
WFP's early warning and preparation system allows governments to quickly prevent or respond to the crisis. We support the development of national capabilities to manage disaster risks through approaches such as weather insurance. Our work includes support for government social protection systems such as vulnerability analysis and mapping, as well as cash transfers. WFP's Asset Assistance Program sees people receive food or cash and receive food or cash to free up work on community assets and livelihood resources.
Cash support
WFP is the largest cash provider in the humanitarian community. Cash increases the diversity of people's choices and diets, and smallholder farmers' production, retail and financial sectors increase spending and trade. It is also an effective tool to give women more economic strength to influence their food.
WFP transferred US$2.9 billion cash-based remittances and merchandise vouchers (redemptioned for certain items) in 76 countries in 2023, reaching 51.6 million. Capacity Building
WFP shares skills and knowledge with public, private and civil society organizations that are crucial to maintaining national policies and programs. We build the capacity of government and other partners to manage disaster risks, improve food security, and also invest in the early warning and preparation systems mentioned above.
In 2023, WFP supported 58 countries where emergency preparations are steady and more responses can be made possible through development and training related to preparation and response systems.
Digital Innovation
New technologies and innovations will help drive WFP work and achieve zero hunger. WFP's Munich-based innovation accelerator implements new ideas, pilot projects and impactful innovations by combining it with WFP's global network and field operations.
Accelerator reached 60.7 million people in 70 countries and regions in 2023, working with the WFP Country Office and a network of local stations, innovation hubs and partners.
Unhas
WFP Aviation manages the United Nations Humanitarian Aviation Services (UNHAS), the only undependent air transport service that enables humanitarian staff and cargo to reach the world's most remote and challenging locations.
In 2023, it transported over 388,000 humanitarian staff and 4,800 tons of cargo, allowing 647 organizations to reach more than 437 remote, difficult-to-reach destinations.
More information: Food Programs in the World / History / Who We Are / Our Work / We Work / 12 Things We Don't Know About Governance and Leadership
This guide is updated continuously. For reference, see WFP in a seeming publication (published three times a year).
