The WFP recently revealed that the daily food rations distributed to North Korean residents last month was 250g, a three-year record
low. VOA [Voice of America] reported on September 24th, citing a 2014 UN World
Food Programme [WFP] paper on North Korea’s drought and food security status,
reported that the amount was less than half of the target figure [573g].
Most emphasized in the report was the need to increase food
security in the impoverished nation; the figures from September show almost no
change from August. Interim monitoring evaluations conducted at 28 homes,
scattered across 133 locations, revealed that the majority of residents lack
proper nutrition, and many are at extremely high risk of acute malnutrition.
Areas like Eunyul County, South Hwanghae Province that were
hit hardest by the droughts in the spring, saw the harvest rate drop to 40-50%
from a previous one of 80%. From January to August of this year, less than
average rainfall in farming regions like North Pyongan Province and South Hwanghae
Province yielded catastrophic results. Inadequate rainfall is also anticipated
to negatively impact the fall harvest.
On the other hand, the daily rations hovered around 400g
between January and May of last year, decreased to 390g from June to July, and
plummeted to 310g in September.
This figure rose to 390g by October followed by a 10g increase effective from
November to January of this year, followed by an additional increase that held
through April.
