U.S. Agency for International Development Mission Director John Groarke announced today a new U.S. contribution of $21 million in food assistance to feed malnourished individuals in Pakistan.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will use the U.S. financial contribution to turn approximately 26,000 metric tons of Pakistani government-provided wheat into fortified flour, which will be distributed to those who need it most.  WFP will also use USAID funds to purchase and distribute more than 6,500 tons of food to families, especially in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

“The United States is committed to combating hunger in Pakistan, but we know we can’t do it alone,” Groarke said.  “By working alongside the United Nations World Food Programme and the Government of Pakistan, we’ve been able to feed more people, save more lives, and support more communities than any one of us could have achieved alone.”

Mission Director Groarke announced the new funding at the WFP office in Islamabad, where he inaugurated a photo exhibition with WFP Country Director Lola Castro.

“The strong and strategic partnership among the United States government, the government of Pakistan, and WFP has made the lives of millions of vulnerable Pakistanis better, especially in areas affected by natural and man-made disasters,” Castro said. “The generous funding from USAID over the years has improved food security and nutrition as well as the livelihoods and resilience of those in need.”

Since 2010, USAID has given nearly $850 million in food assistance to the people of Pakistan.

For more information about USAID programs in Pakistan, please visit www.usaid.gov/pakistan. For more information about the World Food Programme, please visit http://www.wfp.org/countries/pakistan.