Cargill supports World Food Programme’s fight against global hunger with $10M grant
Food systems giant Cargill has made its largest ever donation to World Food Program USA, the organisation dedicated to representing the work and interests of the United Nations World Food Programme in America.
The motivation behind the $10 million grant (around £8.3M) is to mitigate the effects of the global hunger crisis. The money will provide financial support to the World Food Programme’s emergency food assistance and resilience building initiatives.
Cargill’s $10M donation will be disbursed in phases. The first half will focus on emergency operations in response to the Russia-Ukraine war. Food and cash-based assistance will be provided to both Ukrainians in conflict-affected areas, as well as countries facing escalating hunger because of the supply chains disrupted by the war.
The second half will be utilised to bolster the resilience of food systems and target the root causes of hunger. Again, this aid will be aimed at the countries worst impacted by the disruption of Ukraine’s exports.
According to World Food Program USA, some 345 million people globally currently face severe hunger. A further 50 million are on the brink of full-scale famine.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is one of several factors impacting the issue. The rising cost of crucial resources like fuel, fertiliser and other energy is also serving to make food more expensive.
Additionally, the climate crisis is making weather patterns increasingly more volatile and thus crop yields less secure.
Pilar Cruz, Chief Sustainability Officer at Cargill and World Food Program USA Board of Directors member, said private organisations must do their part to alleviate this global problem.
“Cargill has a crucial role to play, addressing emergency hunger issues as well as long-term food security through our work across supply chains and through our corporate giving efforts,” said Cruz.
“This $10 million contribution reinforces Cargill’s commitment to continuing our 20-year partnership with WFP. Together, we will continue to work toward ending systemic hunger and ensure a safe, sustainable and affordable food system for all.”
Speaking about the $10M grant, Barron Segar, World Food Program USA President and CEO, said: “We thank Cargill for their transformational grant, which will help provide people in communities across the globe with lifesaving food and greater stability for the future.
“For more than 20 years, Cargill has been a steadfast partner that we can always count on, supporting school meals, small-scale farmers and disaster relief operations. Their support is a testament to the power of the private sector working together with us to address the root causes of hunger, while building resiliency.”
Explore why the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war are so wide-ranging in this Food Matters Live Podcast episode:
