Food airlifted from B'lore for children in Myanmar

Bangalore, Jun 9 (UNI) The United Nations, under its World Food Programme (WFP), today airlifted from the city, 35 tonnes of food to stave off malnutrition among infants and young children in cyclone-hit Myanmar.

The ready-to-eat food, in paste form having high nutritional value, was produced by city-based MTR Foods, which was owned by Norway-based Orkla Foods.

WFP Head of Procurement and Logistics Shyam S Dubey said the consignment was meant for 30,000 children in the age group of six months to 24 months, who were severely affected by malnutrition in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta of Myanmar.

The cargo was airlifted from Bengaluru International Airport to Yangoon in a chartered flight this evening.

WFP, in collaboration with Indian manufacturers, had developed an innovative Ready-to-Use Food for Children, that was energy dense, protein enriched and fortified with an array of micro nutrients that would help children maintain optimal growth.

One daily ration would provide most of the required nutrients to these children.

Mr Dubey said it had been one month since the cyclone hit the delta and it was still a critical time to get adequate nutrition for vulnerable young children. This innovative food would provide sufficient nutrition to help the children fend off diseases.

WFP's food assistance had so far reached over five lakh beneficiaries in the cyclone-hit area of Myanmar, he added.

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