Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) under its international development projects plan for 2023, is implementing 11 food projects at a total cost of QR27,887,365.

They are aimed at ensuring food security and meeting the needs of 746,974 refugees, displaced persons, and host communities in eight countries — Syria, Yemen, Palestine (Gaza, the West Bank, and Al Quds), Somalia, Iraq, Jordan, Afghanistan and Sudan.

In Northern Syria, QRCS’s office in Turkiye will distribute 28,230 food parcels to 197,610 poor and displaced Syrians, at an average cost of QR200 per parcel, or QR5,646,000 in total. Also, 600 tonnes of flour will be procured to support bakeries in northern Syrian villages, thus helping to secure bread for 104,000 displaced Syrians, at an average cost of QR3,000 per tonne, or QR1.8m in total.

In Yemen, 9,090 food parcels will be distributed to 63,630 poor Yemenis, at an average cost of QR320 per parcel, or QR2,908,800 in total. In Gaza, 8,510 food parcels will be distributed to 42,550 poor Palestinians, at an average cost of QR235 per parcel, or QR1,999,850 in total.

Together with Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), QRCS will distribute 4,000 food parcels to 24,000 poor Palestinians, at an average cost of QR250 per parcel, or QR1m in total in Al Quds and the West Bank.

In Iraq, QRCS’s office will distribute 2,630 food parcels to 13,150 Syrian refugees and displaced Iraqis in Iraqi Kurdistan, at an average cost of QR320 per parcel, or QR841,600 in total.

Under the “Provision of Food for Poor People” project, fresh meals will be distributed to 8,414 Syrian refugees and displaced Iraqis at camps, at an average cost of QR100 per person, or QR841,400 in total.

In Somalia, 23,125 food parcels will be distributed to 161,875 poor people, at an average cost of QR320 per parcel, or QR7.4m in total. In Jordan, 8,091 food parcels will be distributed to 40,095 Syrian refugees and poor Jordanians, at an average cost of QR250 per parcel, or QR2,004,750 in total.

In Afghanistan, 11,375 food parcels will be distributed to 68,250 poor people, at an average cost of QR200, or QR2,274,965 in total. In Sudan, 3,900 food parcels will be distributed to 23,400 poor people, at an average cost of QR300 per parcel, or QR1,170,000 in total.

QRCS pays great attention to the food security and livelihoods sector, given the catastrophic impacts of disasters and conflicts on the livelihoods and sources of food for affected people.

This aggravates their health, economic, and psychological suffering and reduces their recoverability and resilience.

Climate change causes desertification, increased soil salinity, smaller agricultural lands, less agricultural crop productivity, and other serious natural phenomena that the whole world is struggling to mitigate.

That is why QRCS focuses on the needs of affected communities by providing food; creating income-generating jobs; and supporting agricultural, productive, and entrepreneurial activities.

During 2022, food and livelihood projects came third among QRCS’s operations, with a total cost of QR28,212,437.

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