One of World Vision's most established projects inside DPRK (North Korea), "Food for Life" will deliver around half of what is actually needed in coming months because of changes to the nation's food supply.

"World Vision's ability to continue its Food for Life project, an on-going institutional feeding project that began in the late 1990s in response to the famine, has been significantly affected by restrictions on food exports, rising prices of food commodities worldwide, and the devaluation of the USD," said Victor Hsu, National Director for World Vision DPRK.

Food for Life is the main channel through which World Vision DPRK seeks to fight malnutrition among children and improve children's health. Through the project, 1250 metric tonnes (US$1.4 million) of wheat flour is delivered each year to three food-processing centers, which then provide daily lunches to over 47.600 children.

Under current funding arrangements there is a risk that this program will be severely impacted, reversing the progress it has made in the last decade to improve children's nutritional status.

Until December 2007, World Vision DPRK purchased wheat flour and soybean from China to support its food processing centers in the DPRK. However, there are now restrictions on some food exports, including wheat.

Even prior to China restrictions on food exports, World Vision's purchasing power experienced a gradual decline because of the rising price of food commodities in China and the devaluation of the USD against the Chinese Renminbi. As of March 2008, price of flour in the domestic market increased over 60% to $525 per tonne since October 2007.

"Giving North Korean children access to food through the Food for Life project is an essential part of the World Vision program. But increases in food prices directly affect our ability to support North Korea's children," said Mr Hsu.

Already this year, World Vision's provision of wheat flour has seen a sharp decline. World Vision DPRK sent 240 tonnes of flour in October 2007 prior to the restriction, plus a further 120 tonnes from Thailand. World Vision DPRK also donated 60 tonnes of soybean from China. World Vision DPRK plans to send another shipment of 240 tonnes of flour from Thailand, for a total of 600 tonnes of flour and 60 tonnes of soybean - less than 50% of what World Vision DPRK would ideally be sending at this time of looming food crisis.

As a country with a limited amount of arable land, DPRK needs outside food assistance. It is estimated that even with successful harvests, the country still experiences 1 million metric tonnes of food shortage, or around 30% of what would be required to provide subsistence level rations to its population of 22 million people.

Last year's extensive floods badly affected yields, while restrictions and rising costs have increased the country's vulnerability to famine even further. Experts fear the situation to be similar to the devastating famine of the 1990s.

The Impact of the Food Crisis on Children

The "Food for Life" flour goes into daily noodle lunches for 19,800 children in Anju and 24,800 children in Kaechon through nursery and kindergarten distribution. In May 2007, World Vision opened a bakery in Dochi-ri with a capacity to bake 5,000 pieces of bread daily. The Dochi bakery provides daily lunches to 3,000 children at 3 schools and 1 kindergarten in the village.

According to UNICEF's nutrition surveys, the nutritional status of Korean children improved considerably since the famine years. Acute malnutrition rates fell from 16% to 7% between 1998 and 2004, and chronic malnutrition fell from 62% to 37%. Most recently, in 2006, a survey conducted by the DRPK government and field observation made by UNICEF showed continuing of this positive trend.

The recent improvements in the nutritional status of children could be reversed quickly with the looming food crisis. WFP predicts that over 25% of North Koreans will be in need of foreign food aid this year, with children identified as one of the most vulnerable groups.

"World Vision's Food for Life helps fight malnutrition among children. Its on-going support of the two noodle factories and one bakery provides a consistent access to food for children and help promote a healthy physical and mental development among the beneficiaries during a formative period in their growth," said Mr Hsu.

In addition, World Vision DPRK also produces and distributes soymilk to the same children who receive daily lunches, so that children will also have access to a valuable source of essential nutrients. Soybean is rich in nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins, which the children need, in addition to receiving subsistence-level caloric intake.  

"For over one-third of DPR Korean children who continue to suffer from chronic malnutrition, rising prices and export restrictions pose an exceptional threat to their well-being," said Mr Hsu.

"Without additional funding for Food for Life, WORLD VISION DPRK will only be able to send approximately 50% of what the food processing centers need on an annual basis."

World Vision is currently globally examining the impact of rising food prices on its work and assessing what response is required in terms of additional funding or food aid requirements and whether these need to be combined with calls for policy refinements in the areas of international trade and aid.

Note:  WORLD VISION does not have staff in North Korea but sends in regular monitoring teams.  Mr Hsu can be contacted for comment or interview: Office (NY):    +1-212-308-2098
Cell:    +1-760-284-2036