The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that severe reductions in food rations for over 186,000 refugees in Tanzania threaten their nutrition and well-being, as rations have plummeted to 50 percent of the minimum recommended daily kilocalorie requirement.

The cuts, down from 65 percent in May and 82 percent in prior months, affect vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and new arrivals in refugee camps who depend entirely on WFP assistance. The agency highlighted the dire implications for these populations, emphasizing the urgent need for increased support to address their nutritional needs.

To mitigate the impact, the WFP, alongside Tanzania’s Ministry of Home Affairs and other partners, conducted community sensitization campaigns in refugee camps to prepare residents for the reductions. Additionally, the WFP has continued targeted nutrition support for children with severe acute malnutrition, responding to a request from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

In a related effort, the WFP launched a two-week clean cooking training program across 13 refugee-hosting villages. The initiative focuses on reducing reliance on firewood-based cooking, promoting energy-efficient stoves known as Jiko Rafiki, teaching balanced meal preparation, and introducing fundamentals of carbon credit generation to improve sustainability and living conditions.