Nicaragua is a low-income, food-deficit country, and among the poorest in Latin America. According to the World Risk Report, it is one of the countries most affected by extreme weather events: droughts, hurricanes, tropical storms and floods, among others. 

These events have a negative impact on food systems, putting at risk the food and nutritional security of the most vulnerable people, especially in the Dry Corridor area. This includes smallholder farmers who produce 90 percent of the country's basic grains. 

The World Food Programme (WFP) supports initiatives to promote food security, nutrition, livelihood restoration and farmers' access to sustainable markets. 

WFP also works with national institutions to strengthen disaster risk management, social protection systems, and food systems.

What the World Food Programme is doing in Nicaragua

Emergency preparedness and response
In collaboration with national authorities, WFP strengthens integrated disaster risk management, early warning and response to emergencies. As an immediate response, WFP can make available ready-to-eat food kits. WFP also reinforces the national school feeding programme by delivering a second hot meal to children in schools and/or take-home rations to their families, reducing the economic burden faced during a crisis. 
School meals
WFP places schools at the centre of its programme in Nicaragua, both for social protection interventions and emergency response to support the most vulnerable people. WFP provides hot, nutritious meals to 180,000 students in 2,500 Ministry of Education pre-school, primary and distance learning schools in 47 municipalities in the Dry Corridor – the area of the country most vulnerable to the climate crisis. Gradually the school meal will incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables to increase the supply of vitamins and minerals essential for the growth and development of students. WFP also supports the installation of water systems and kitchens/storerooms, to improve school meal preparation. 
Smallholder farmers
WFP promotes the development of sustainable food systems for smallholder farmers through their cooperatives. We improve farmers’ economic and climate resilience by diversifying their crops and livelihoods, and through other strategies including ecological practices that protect natural resources and reduce their environmental footprint. WFP also improves producers' access to sustainable markets, including selling their crops for school meals, while stimulating local economies. Rural women have an important place in all these activities: they participate in training processes that promote their leadership, empowerment, economic and business entrepreneurship, savings and academic training. 
Service provision
WFP provides national institutions and the humanitarian community with logistics and transportation services, procurement, facilities, technology and telecommunications support. 

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Partners and Donors

Achieving zero hunger is the work of many. Our work in the Republic of Nicaragua is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:
Nicaragua Canada The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Adaptation Fund

Operations in Nicaragua

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Contacts

Office

Edificio COBIRSA, 3er. piso, kilómetro 6 1/2 Carretera a Masaya, contiguo a Edificio Claro
Nicaragua

Phone
+505 2278-4982
Email
wfp.nicaragua@wfp.org
For media inquiries
sabrina.quezada@wfp.org
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