WFP: Four in ten Lankan households consuming inadequate diets

The latest report from the World Food Program reveals that four in ten households in Sri Lanka are consuming inadequate diets.The World Food Program said that the intensifying economic crisis continues to threaten food security, and the persistence of high food and fuel prices has pushed food further out of reach.

The WFP warned that in the face of inaction, the situation could deteriorate even further.Highlighting the fact that diets are in a precarious state among Sri Lankans, the World Food Program said that four in ten households are facing insufficient food consumption, with many consuming far less diverse diets as food prices remain high across the country.

To date, WFP has received a total of US$29.35 million from the governments of Australia, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, United States and Switzerland, as well as from the UN Central  Emergency Response Fund, private sector partners, and multilateral donors. This represents nearly half of its emergency appeal for US$63 million.

The latest WFP situation report said that 3.4 million people are being prioritized to receive emergency assistance from WFP in 2022 and 73,700 people reached by WFP for the emergency response so far. The WFP reached over 10,000 people with cash assistance in the latest week (19 to 23 September).

The WFP has reached more than 70,000 people so far with cash and voucher assistance since beginning its emergency response to the current crisis. The food security situation remains unstable. Around eight in ten people are turning to food-based coping mechanisms to keep food on the table, according to WFP’s August remote household food security surveys.

“The intensifying economic crisis continues to threaten food security. The persistence of high food and fuel prices has pushed food further out of reach. In the face of inaction, the situation could deteriorate even further. More than one-third of the population (37 percent) is now facing acute food insecurity, according to WFP’s remote household food security surveys for August. This represents an increase against the results of the face-to-face Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission for June 2. Anxieties about food and fuel prices have increased steeply. Nearly half (43 percent) of the population are concerned about disruptions to their jobs and livelihoods. In addition, the proportion of people concerned about access to medicine has also risen from 42 to 56 percent between July and August. Diets are in a precarious state. Nearly four in ten households are facing insufficient food consumption, with many consuming far less diverse diets as food prices remain high across the country.”