Food Aid Convention: operations in 2009/10

Under the Food Aid Convention, 1999 (FAC)¹, donors pledge to provide annually specified minimum amounts of food aid.  The objective of the Convention is to contribute to world food security and to improve the ability of the international community to respond to emergency food situations and other food needs, ensuring that food assistance is directed to the alleviation of poverty and hunger, particularly of the most vulnerable groups.  This includes food purchased locally and regionally, therefore promoting agricultural development and strengthening regional and local markets in developing countries.  Many of the FAC operations are channelled by donors through the World Food Programme (WFP) and other agencies..  

In 2009/10, FAC food aid operations totalled 6.9m. tons², rrepresenting a 13% decline from the previous year.  However, these were again significantly in excess of members’ combined annual minimum commitment of 5.4m. tons³.  As in the previous year, the bulk of food aid provided under the FAC was supplied in response to emergency situations and protracted relief operations, especially to countries in sub-Saharan Africa.  Operations in that region totalled 4.4m. tons, equivalent to almost two-thirds of the total, but slightly less than in the previous year.  By far the biggest recipient was Ethiopia, followed by Sudan, Kenya and Congo (DR).  In Asia, the largest operations were in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, while in Central America Haiti was again a major recipient of aid under the Convention.

The composition of FAC donations has changed significantly over the years, with non-grain items, including pulses, other food products and seeds, taking an increasing share during the early part of the past decade.  However, in more recent years the combined share of grains has again risen, reaching 56% in 2009/10, the largest since 2006/07.

Vegetable oils and pulses accounted for a significant proportion of donations.  Other products provided by donors in 2009/10 included various meals, soyabeans, seeds, a number of blended foods and several products which are a component of the traditional diet of vulnerable groups or supplementary feeding programmes.  There were also sizeable donations of micronutrients and iodised salt.

Transport costs, expressed as a percentage of the total spent on FAC operations, increased to 40% (35%), adding $1.18bn. to the cost of the food aid provided. Transportation and related logistics, especially with respect to landlocked countries and complex emergency responses, again presented substantial challenges to the donor community.


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^1/ The Food Aid Convention is administered by the Food Aid Committee, using the services of the IGC Secretariat.  In December 2010, members agreed to begin the formal process of renegotiating the Convention with immediate effect, with a view to providing appropriate and effective food assistance to vulnerable populations in response to needs.
^2/ Wheat equivalent
^3/ Including the estimated tonnage of value commitments