World Food Program's Largest Warehouse Opens in Afghanistan

Under construction since 2003, the new complex--the UN agency's largest worldwide--covers 13 acres and includes two huge warehouses for food and one for vehicle spare parts. The parking lot accomodates 150 vehicles and a massive underground fuel depot

Meanwhile, according to a WFP situation report, "Worsening security continues to limit WFP operations," including attacks on October 8 and 11 in which "commercial trucks transporting WFP food were attacked in Farah Province, with the latter incident resulting in the death of a driver's helper. These events seriously threaten WFP's ability to move food to the western regions of the country." During the last reporting perion, WFP assisted 133,500 people across Afghanistan and is engaged in drought emergency response and winterization pre-positioning. According to its report, WFP has received only 63% of the amount requested (and only 38% of the appeal) and is now "facing serious pipeline breaks which jeopardise the ability to provide enough drought relief," especially in the North, where "Local communities are selling livestock to get food and drinking water, or migrating from their home areas."

WFP's LARGEST WAREHOUSE COMPLEX NOW READY FOR BUSINESS IN AFGHANISTAN
Kabul (WFP press release): Secure, efficient storage and handling is critical to the success of large food assistance programmes such as what the UN World Food Programme is delivering in Afghanistan. WFP has recently completed construction in Kabul of its largest warehouse complex - worldwide, a strong indication of the agency's commitment to helping Government address the food needs of Afghans in need of assistance...

The new facility, costing $3.5 million, will provide needed storage for food aid for the central, northeast and southeast regions, where poor roads, limited seasonal access and insecurity are major challenges to transport. The facility can hold 15,000 metric tonnes, enough food to fill 1,500 trucks, in its two warehouses. At such future time when WFP ceases to operate in the country, the compound will be handed over to the Government..

Photo: WFP delivering food. PAM

WFP currently has six other warehouse complexes in major cities throughout Afghanistan. These can store over 60,000 tonnes of food aid and other humanitarian supplies... "The warehouse will play a crucial role in getting desperately needed aid to up to 17 provinces of Afghanistan," said WFP Representative in Afghanistan, Rick Corsino...

Donors: Contributions to WFP's Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations, PRRO 10427.06, launched in January 2006: from the United States (US$ 68 million), India (US$ 10 million), Japan (US$ 6 million), Netherlands (US$ 3.6 million), Switzerland (US$ 3.3 million), Italy (US$ 2.3 million), France (US$ 1.3 million) and Germany (US$ 1.3 million) plus several other donors.

The situation report cites some serious problems, however:

WFP Afghanistan: Weekly Situation Report 05 Oct - 11 Oct 2006
Worsening security continues to limit WFP operations, especially in the Southern, South-Eastern and Eastern Regions where military operations are ongoing. A number of UN missions have also been suspended. On both 8 and 11 October commercial trucks transporting WFP food were attacked in Farah Province, with the latter incident resulting in the death of a driver's helper. These events seriously threaten WFP's ability to move food to the western regions of the country.

During the reporting period WFP assisted 133,500 beneficiaries across the country with 2,200 MT of mixed food commodities. The drought emergency response is proceeding. WFP is assisting affected populations through winterization programmes, i.e. pre-positioning of wheat to be distributed through schools and through food for work and food for assets programmes. During the reporting period, WFP assisted 7,250 beneficiaries with 360 MT of mixed food in the provinces of Badakshan, Ghor, Badghis and Herat. Contributions in response to the initial joint Government/UN drought appeal of July still remain at USD 32 million, representing 63% of the amount requested, yet just 38% against the complete appeal, including the extension soon to be launched, that covers the period to the next main harvest in April and May 2007. WFP is facing serious pipeline breaks which jeopardise the ability to provide enough drought relief. In the Northern Region, which is most badly hit by the drought, there were no food dispatches during the week due to pipeline breaks. Local communities are selling livestock to get food and drinking water, or migrating from their home areas. To date, only 38% of the 21,000 MT food planned for winterization has actually been pre-positioned. This is largely due to restrictions on the export to Afghanistan of cereals purchased in Pakistan.

Efforts to obtain authorization from the Pakistani Government to move wheat into Afghanistan for humanitarian purposes have thus far been unsuccessful. In the meantime, the first convoy with rice arrived at the WFP warehouse in Jalalabad this week. The food will be pre-positioned for the harsh winter soon to come. During the reporting period WFP assisted 18,500 IDPs in the south of the country, mainly displaced by ongoing military operations, with 300 MT of food. In Herat City, flour fortification started after the second WFP donated microfeeder was installed in a large mill, with a capacity of 70 MT per day. Additionally, WFP provides premix fortificants and technical support.