Food rations for more than 320,000 refugees in Tanzania have been cut due to a lack of funding, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Tuesday.

The WFP urgently needs $23.6 million from now through to December to be able to continue meeting the nutritional needs of the refugees, who are mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

Without new funds, the WFP has warned, the rations will have to be cut even further.

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“Without an immediate response from donors, further ration cuts will be necessary as food stocks are simply running out,” said WFP Tanzania Country Representative Michael Dunford. 

“While WFP appreciates the support received so far, we are urgently appealing to donors to quickly come to the aid of the refugees and provide additional funding so that we can return to full rations and avoid any prolonged negative impacts.” 

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The ration cuts have affected people living in the three refugee camps in northwest Tanzania — Mtendeli, Nduta, and Nyarugusu.

People living in these refugee camps are provided with five food staples by the WFP — maize meal, pulses, super cereal, vegetable oil, and salt. 

But all five foods have had to be cut for the August distribution. That means that rations only provided people with 62% of their recommended daily calorie intake. 

Cutting down on rations can cause potentially life-threatening problems for refugees, including acute malnutrition, and increased vulnerability to disease.

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As well as the five food staples, WFP also provides hot meals for refugees on arrival, supplements for pregnant and nursing women, and food assistance to hospital in-patients and people living with HIV/AIDS. 

Despite the current lack of funding, WFP will be able to continue providing the hot meals for new-arrivals and the supplementary feeding programmes. 

Ongoing political turmoil and violence in Burundi has led to over 400,000 Burundian refugees seeking asylum in neighbouring countries. 

Tanzania hosts the largest number of these refugees in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, and all three of its refugee camps are over capacity. Tanzania also hosts more than 60,000 refugees from the DRC. 

According to a UNICEF report from June, 57% of refugees in Tanzania are children, and 22% are children under five. 

And the refugee population continues to grow. 

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“The persistent flow of refugees places pressure on the already overstretched facilities and services in the host community and refugee camps,” stated the UNICEF report. 

“Without counting new arrivals, the refugee population continues to grow with over 50 babies born in the three refugee camps every day. Children and women are particularly affected, suffering from limited social services, overstretched health and nutrition facilities, and an inadequate number of schools.” 

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has also warned about Tanzania’s refugee situation. 

“It is crucial that humanitarian organisations take concrete action to help Tanzania provide shelter and assistance to refugees for as long as they continue to flee,” said David Nash, Head of Mission for MSF in Tanzania, in May

“Tanzania must not become home to yet another forgotten refugee crisis.”

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Food for Refugees Is ‘Running Out’ in Tanzania, World Food Programme Warns in Call for More Funds

By Imogen Calderwood