Overview

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues to suffer widespread food shortages due to economic problems, limited arable land, lack of agricultural machinery and energy shortages. The country remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters; most recently severe flooding in August 2007 caused widespread damage to crops and infrastructure in six southern provinces. DPRK has also suffered the effects of the global commodity crisis, with rampant increases in market prices for staple foods and fuel.

Domestic cereal production consistently falls below the needs of the 24 million population. The FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment of October 2008- the first such survey since 2004- indicated that total gross production came to only 4.21 million metric tons (unmilled, 3.3 million tons milled) of cereal equivalent, as agricultural production was severely constrained by lack of sufficient fertilizer and fuel, declining soil fertility and structural factors. Even with anticipated commercial imports and currently pledged food aid, the country will experience a cereal shortfall of 836,000 tons for the 2008/2009 marketing year, leaving 8.7 million people in need of food assistance.

WFP/FAO assessments confirmed a significant deterioration in food security in 2008. Close to three quarters of respondents had reduced their food intake, over half were reportedly eating only two meals per day (down from three) and dietary diversity was extremely poor among two thirds of the surveyed population. Most North Koreans sustain themselves by consuming only maize, vegetables and wild foods, a diet lacking protein, fats and micronutrients. Food is scarcest during the “lean season”, the five-month period prior to the autumn rice and maize harvests when stocks of the previous year’s crops rapidly run dry.

The impact of food shortages has been unevenly divided amongst the population, with urban households in areas of low industrial activity (particularly the Northeast) being the most affected. These groups have been hard hit by higher food prices, reductions in public food rations as well as lowered employment and salaries caused by industrial recession.

Vulnerable groups including young children, pregnant and lactating women and elderly people remain particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition due to their particular dietary needs.

WFP Activities

Since 1995, WFP has played a central role in mobilizing and delivering food assistance to millions of the DPRK’s hungriest people, saving countless lives and helping to achieve significant reductions in malnutrition rates. Emergency operations between 1995 and 2005 secured more than four million tonnes of commodities valued at US$1.7 billion and directly supported up to one-third of the population.

In response to a government request for relief assistance and confirmed new food needs, WFP launched an emergency operation in September 2008. The US$504 million operation set out to target 6.2 million of the most vulnerable groups, mainly young children, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly, addressing immediate humanitarian needs of the population while simultaneously improving the nutritional quality over the medium-term. 

Vitamin-and-mineral enriched foods produced at WFP-supported factories are given to young children and pregnant and nursing women, and cereal rations to underemployed workers through food-for-community-development schemes aimed at improving food security and mitigating natural disasters. All of these activities are vital investments in the future of the beneficiaries.

Due to the low levels of resources received for the emergency operation, WFP was requested by the DPRK Government to reduce the humanitarian food programme and adjust the operating conditions agreed to in a Letter of Understanding concluded with the DPRK government in June 2008. Starting in June 2009, WFP is therefore refocusing its programme in 62 counties in six provinces instead of the 131 counties (eight provinces) originally targeted under the emergency operation. Depending on resources received, WFP will be able to feed up to 1.88 million North Koreans, mainly young children in institutions, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly.  International staff numbers and monitoring is being proportionally reduced to 16 international staff (no Korean-speakers) and all but two (Chongjin and Wonsan) out of five field offices will be closed. Monitoring will now require advance notice of 7 days instead of 24 hours.

Despite the reduced programme, WFP continues the important work in DPRK and will work closely with the DPRK Government to guarantee that food assistance still reaches many of the hungriest and most vulnerable North Koreans. The long-standing principle of  “no access-no food” will still be strictly enforced and access to parts of the Northeast, the most food-insecure areas of the country, will be maintained.