India's Food Transformation Key to Global Hunger Fight as Western Funding Drops: WFP Deputy Chief

As global hunger surges amid conflict, climate shocks, and a devastating 40% funding cut to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), India's remarkable transformation from a food-scarce nation to a global aid supplier has emerged as a critical lifeline, WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau said on Monday.

In an exclusive interview to PTI, Skau emphasised that cooperation with emerging powers like India has become essential as Western funding declines.

"It's critical. For one, because of Western OECD countries pulling back on the funding. But I think also, importantly, because of the solutions that India has found for itself to deal with its food security," he said.

Skau, also the Chief Operating Officer of WFP, highlighted that India's homegrown solutions are more applicable to crisis-hit regions in Africa and Asia than recent experiences from Europe or North America.

The country's innovative approaches, including grain ATMs and rice fortification, are now reshaping relief efforts in conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan.

"When it comes to ideas and solutions, India, Brazil, South Africa have a lot to offer. But also on the diplomacy front, India has increasing influence," Skau noted, praising the country's growing voice in bilateral relations, G20 forums, and as a regional superpower.

WFP plans to sign a memorandum of understanding during Skau's three-day visit to ensure predictable procurement of fortified rice from India, enabling faster and higher-quality aid delivery during crises.

The partnership leverages India's food surplus, with the country now capable of providing large volumes quickly during natural disasters and emergencies.

According to Skau, India's successful initiatives around smart warehousing and supply chain optimisation are being scaled globally by WFP.

The partnership has already yielded significant savings, including USD 30 million through supply chain optimisation, which is being applied in crises across Ethiopia and Sudan.

The country's National Food Security Act and Mid-Day Meal Scheme serve as models for nations like Sudan and Haiti, with WFP aiming to establish a "centre of excellence" to share India's expertise globally.

"India's story from being a country where we assisted to now an exporter of food with a food surplus shows impressive progress. There are excellent initiatives that we want to draw from India to bring to the world in dealing with the global food crisis," Skau explained.

Beyond food assistance, WFP is looking to India's growing global influence to help promote humanitarian access in conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Yemen, and Gaza. India's diplomatic clout could prove crucial in securing access for aid delivery in these crisis-hit regions.

In Gaza, where WFP has declared famine in parts of the territory, the organisation is assisting one million people monthly but struggles with access, needing 300-400 trucks daily compared to the current 100.

"Right now, it's the worst we have seen ever," Skau said, calling for an urgent ceasefire and access.

The 40 per cent funding cut isn't limited to the US, with traditional partners in Europe, the UK, the European Union, and Germany also reducing contributions. This comes as humanitarian needs are escalating globally, forcing WFP to make painful choices, he said.

In Afghanistan, assistance has plummeted from nearly 10 million people three years ago to just 1-2 million currently. "We are cutting basically from the hungry to give to the starving. The problem with that is that next year, the hungry will be starving," Skau warned.

The organisation fears a worsening situation in Afghanistan this winter, having been unable to pre-position supplies for communities that become inaccessible due to snow.

Conflict remains the primary driver of hunger, affecting two-thirds of the 320 million acutely food-insecure people globally, compounded by climate shocks and economic crises, Skau said, adding that Somalia exemplifies this "perfect storm" of conflict, drought, floods, and food inflation.

The Rohingya refugee crisis presents another challenge, with about one million people in Cox's Bazar depending entirely on WFP assistance, unable to integrate locally or return to Myanmar.

Skau called for greater attention to underreported crises in Sudan, Haiti, and the Congo, urging governments, businesses, and individuals to provide resources and diplomatic support. He emphasised that India's private sector and citizens could play a pivotal role in funding and advocacy.

With the UN's Zero Hunger Goal by 2030 under threat, Skau warned that inaction risks millions of lives in global hotspots, making India's partnership with WFP more crucial than ever in the fight against global starvation.