ReliefWeb

TEGUCIGALPA – The Federal Republic of Germany contributed €1 million (US$1.1 million) to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), supporting emergency food assistance to more than 16.000 families severely affected by the drought in the Dry Corridor of Honduras

Most of these families are subsistence farmers and daily wage labourers, who have lost their crops to the drought in the departments of Choluteca, Valle, La Paz, El Paraíso y Francisco Morazán.

“Climate change and its consequences have resulted in more and more people now seeing emigration as the only way out. We hope that with our humanitarian assistance we can help them stay in their homeland”, said Thomas Wriessnig, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Honduras.

For the past five years, people in the Dry Corridor have been affected by recurrent droughts, irregular rains and agricultural pests. This has resulted in the loss of staple crops, namely maize and beans.

“This is the second and very timely contribution from the Government of Germany in support of the families affected by the drought in 2018 and 2019,” said WFP Representative in Honduras, Judith Thimke. “Unfortunately, these families have been unable to harvest their produce due to the lack of rains. This has been a recurring phenomenon in the Dry Corridor with devastating effects,” said THIMKE.

The German contribution will bring relief to families through the months of July and August. It will also strengthen humanitarian assistance coordination with the Honduran Civil Defence authorities.

The municipalities that benefit from this contribution are: La Libertad, La Venta, San Miguelito en Francisco Morazán; Langue y San Francisco de Coray en Valle; Apacilagua, Duyure, Morolica, Orocuina, Pespire, San Antonio de Flores, San Isidro y San Jose en Choluteca; Liure, San Antonio de Flores, San Lucas, Soledad, Vado Ancho, Yauyupe y Texiguat en El Paraíso; y Aguaqueterique, Guajiquiro, Lauterique, Mercedes de Oriente, San José y San Juan en La Paz.

About the emergency situation in Honduras

The cumulative impact of droughts and losses in agricultural production have weakened the response capacity and survival mechanisms of families, especially among the most vulnerable, as they have exhausted their food reserves.

As a result, the Government of Honduras declared a state of emergency in August 2018, and there is a high probability that the situation might remain unchanged throughout 2019.

The United Nations World Food Programme - saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.

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Contact

Hetze Tosta, WFP/Honduras,

Tel. + 504 22369002, Mob. +504 50431905773