Fighting hunger and malnutrition in Cameroon. This is the objective of the partnership agreement that has just been signed between the Ministry of Social Affairs of Cameroon and the World Food Programme (WFP). The agreement, signed on 22 March, will focus on the Far North, South West and North West regions. The three regions have been ravaged by armed conflict in recent years. It has been reported that 11 per cent of the population, or about three million people, face acute food insecurity.

The agreement will enable the establishment of an integrated system to provide comprehensive support to vulnerable communities. WFP will work to identify children for school feeding programmes. Minister Pauline Irène Nguene said during the ceremony: “By joining forces with our ministry, the World Food Programme, following other national and international partners, in turn justifies this call for intersectoral social action”.

Wanja Kaaria, WFP Country Director in Cameroon, said, “We have joined forces to identify children to be included in school feeding schemes, a vital safety net to thousands of children throughout Cameroon.

Building special canteens in centres for vulnerable children and creating a National Solidarity Fund to strengthen social protection initiatives were also announced.