聯合國糧食援助機構預估，敘利亞境內由於武裝抗爭、加上中東地區持續乾旱，恐怕使數十萬敘利亞人受到衝擊。
由於敘利亞阿拉伯紅新月會（Syrian Arab Red Crescent, SARC）要求增加緊急食物發放的數量，世界糧食計劃署（WFP）計畫到2012年12月止，提供每月25萬人之援助，此舉將會有超過目前每月受益10萬人兩倍的人數獲益。世界糧食計劃署預估在未來幾週內，獲益人數將達到50萬人。
如同中東與北非其他國家的抗爭行動，因敘利亞人民反對總統巴沙爾‧哈菲茲‧阿薩德（Bashar Hafez al-Assad）政府而導致的暴力鎮壓事件從2011年3月展開。迄今，該衝突已奪去9000多條人命，其中大多數是平民，並讓成千上萬的敘利亞人流離失所。
上個月，一個由政府主導、聯合7個聯合國機構和伊斯蘭會議組織（Organization of Islamic Cooperation）共同執行的評估計畫指出，有多達一百萬敘利亞人需要人道援助。
世界糧食計劃署官員表示，即使在衝突爆發前，糧食安全調查即發現有140萬人處於飢餓之中。特別是那些受前幾年乾旱衝擊地區的人，而如今他們又陷於動盪之中。
自2006年以來，許多地區的乾旱已持續多年。根據國際紅十字會與紅新月會在2009年8月至2010年12月期間勸募資金的聲明顯示，嚴重的乾旱影響了130萬居民，農民已經連續四年無法耕作，許多牧人因為牧草和飼料短缺失去了80%的牲口。
聯合國已提出一項救援計畫以回應敘利亞的人道需求，但至今尚未獲得政府批准。這項180萬美元的計畫包括幾十個項目以提供一百萬人超過六個月的需求，大部分的資金用於食物和醫療保健。
世界糧食計劃署與敘利亞阿拉伯紅新月會合作，在霍姆斯（Homs）、哈馬（Hama）、伊德利普（Idlib）與大馬士革等地提供多達10萬人份的每月糧食援助。然而，聯合國工作人員仍然無法到達這些城市中的某些地區。
援助食品以食物籃的形式每月發放，其內包括穀物、油、糖、肉品罐頭和豆類等基本食品，相當於每人每天74%的日常能量需求。
本週，世界糧食計劃署與約旦哈希米慈善協會（Jordanian Hashemite Charity Society）及約旦紅新月會合作，開始發放熱騰騰的飯菜給鄰國約旦內的約1萬五千民的敘利亞難民。
為了敘利亞的難民，世界糧食計劃署在2011年8月發起了預算3740萬美元的計劃。目前該機構仍在尋求資金，募集到的金額尚不足一半。
The United Nations food aid agency is scaling up its efforts to reach hundreds of thousands of Syrians affected by an armed struggle for freedom and persistent drought in the Middle Eastern country.
Officials with the World Food Programme plan to target 250,000 hungry people per month inside the country until December 2012, based on a request by Syrian Arab Red Crescent to increase emergency food distribution. This would more than double the number of beneficiaries from the 100,000 Syrians now served each month, and the WFP plans to reach 500,000 people in the next few weeks.
The violence in Syria began in March 2011 as a protest movement against the government of President Bashar Hafez al-Assad similar to others in countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The conflict has to date claimed more than 9,000 lives, mostly civilians, and displaced tens of thousands of other Syrians.
Last month, a government-led assessment mission jointly carried out by seven UN agencies and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, estimated that as many as one million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance.
World Food Programme officials say that even before violence broke out in Syria, a food security survey found that 1.4 million people - especially those from areas hit hard by a drought in previous years - were struggling to feed themselves and that they are concentrated in areas currently affected by unrest.
The drought has continued for years, since 2006 in many areas. Severe drought affecting an area with 1.3 million inhabitants has meant that farmers have not been able to harvest for four consecutive years, while many herders have lost over 80 percent of their livelihood for lack of pasture and fodder, according to an appeal for emergency funds covering the period August 2009 through December 2010 made by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.
The UN has presented a multi-million dollar plan to respond to humanitarian needs in Syria, but as yet has not secured government approval to move it forward.
The US$180 million plan includes dozens of projects to respond to the needs of one million people over six months, with most of the money earmarked for food and health care.
Working in partnership with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the World Food Programme has been providing food aid for up to 100,000 people a month in cities such as Homs, Hama, Idleb and Damascus. Yet, some parts of these areas remain inaccessible for UN staff.
Assistance comes in the form of a monthly food basket containing basic foods - grains, oil, sugar, canned meat and beans - equivalent to 74 percent of the daily energy requirement per person per day.
This week, WFP also began distributing hot meals to Syrian refugees living in Syria's neighbor Jordan, providing food packages to 15,000 people, in cooperation with the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Society and the Jordanian Red Crescent.
WFP's emergency operation for Syria was launched in August 2011 with a projected budget of $37.4 million. The agency is still seeking funding, as less than half that amount has been secured.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
