WFP forced to cut food rations for refugees in Tanzania

A serious humanitarian crisis is looming as the United Nations food agency today announced cutting daily rations of thousands of Burundi and Congolese refugees in Tanzania to cope with drying funds.

The World Food Programme said today it has reduced daily food rations for 320,000 refugees in Mtendeli, Nduta and Nyarugusu Camps in northwest Tanzania due to funding shortage.

Tanzania is home to one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, sheltering thousands from the Great Lakes region.

"WFP urgently requires US$23.6 million from now through to December 2017 to be able to continue meeting the food and nutritional needs of refugees in Tanzania," the agency said in a statement.

The agency said as of August it has reduced by 38 percent the recommended daily calorie intake of 2010 which include; maize meal, pulses, super cereal, vegetable oil and salt.

"Without an immediate response from donors, further ration cuts will be necessary as food stocks are simply running out," said WFP Tanzania Country Representative Michael Dunford.

"While WFP appreciates the support received so far, we are urgently appealing to donors to quickly come to the aid of the refugees and provide additional funding so that we can return to full rations and avoid any prolonged negative impacts."

The agency warned that reduced rations could potentially lead to acute malnutrition and increased vulnerability to disease.

"Hot meals for refugees entering the country and supplementary feeding programmes remain unaffected," the statement added.