2007年VOA标准英语-WFP Restores Food Rations to Displaced in Ugand

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
12 May 2007

The World Food Program (WFP) says it will be able to restore food rations¹ it was forced to cut for more than a million displaced people in northern Uganda.  As Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva, the WFP says it is able to restore the rations because of new contributions from the international community.

A woman cooks in Unyama Camp for internally displaced people (IDP), Gulu district, northern Uganda, 02 Sep 2006 (file photo)

The World Food Program had to drastically cut food rations for 1.28 million people displaced people in northern Uganda in April because it ran out of cash. 

WFP spokesman Simon Pluess says these cuts came at the worst time of the year.

"Just ahead of the lean season, the hunger season when people have to wait for food, for the next food harvest until August and we had to cut rations by 30 percent," he said.  "And, now thanks to these new donations, we will be able to give full rations again, as of June." 

The World Food Program has received nearly $7 million in new donations.  Most of this has come from the European Commission's Humanitarian² Aid Office.  Pluess says the Commission gives its contributions in cash, not in kind. 

He says this is very helpful, because it allows WFP to buy food in Uganda, which stimulates³ the local economy and keeps transportation costs down.

"The World Food Program procures⁴ all its food within Uganda and it has become the single largest food purchasing organization in Uganda, with some 120,000 metric tons of food purchased within the country and about 10 percent bought directly from small scale farmers," he added.  "It is a very efficient way of tackling the issue of food security from another way and really help the farmers to help themselves." 

The World Food Program also is feeding 183,000 refugees in Uganda and 500,000 drought victims in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda.

1 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 procures   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的第三人称单数 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• No doubt, it is his wife who procures his death. 毫不疑问，是他的妻子促成他的死亡。 来自辞典例句
• The Marine Department designs, procures and maintains all government vessels. 海事处负责设计、采购和维修所有政府船舶。 来自互联网