Food Crisis in the DPRK

World Vision began its works in the DPRK in 1997 during a time of major famine. Thereafter it expanded to development programmes in health, food processing, agriculture and water as well as sanitation projects.

The food crisis was made worse by inadequate arable land to produce enough food for its entire population, the escalation of food prices worldwide, and the recent ban on food exports by China.

The World Food Programme reports that in 2008 the DPRK is short of 1.66 million metric tonnes of food, i.e. 30% of the subsistence requirement for its 22 million people. Over 25% of people require food aid in 2008.

Food for Life

World Vision helps fight malnutrition in children by supporting two noodle factories and one bakery to provide a consistent food supply for children, so as to ensure their healthy development, both physically and mentally. It also produces soymilk to supplement children’s diet.