WFP gets $6.7m Japan support for rohingya food and nutrition services

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a new contribution of $6.7 million (¥1.05 billion) from the Government of Japan to support Rohingya refugees and host-community smallholder farmers in Cox's Bazar.

'Japan remains committed to supporting vulnerable populations in Bangladesh, including Rohingya refugees and their host Bangladeshi communities,' said Saida Shinichi, Japan's ambassador to Bangladesh. 'Through this partnership with WFP, Japan aims to contribute to food security, improved nutrition, and the overall wellbeing of Rohingya families, particularly women and children. At the same time, it is also important to support Bangladeshis in improving their food security by addressing pressing challenges related to climate change and market access.'

WFP has said the funding will support life-saving food assistance for Rohingya refugees and nutrition services for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under five. It will also help strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers in host communities through an aggregation centre model, which consolidates agricultural produce and improves access to local markets and humanitarian supply chains. The centres will also help supply fresh vegetables, eggs, and rice for Rohingya families, WFP said.

WFP provides Rohingya families with monthly food vouchers to buy essentials such as rice, lentils, and oil, as well as fresh vegetables and protein-rich foods at designated outlets. Under its nutrition activities, pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children receive malnutrition prevention and treatment services, including specialised nutrition products, growth monitoring, nutrition education, and behaviour change communication.

In host communities, the funding will allow WFP to repair agricultural infrastructure damaged by floods and cyclones, restoring supply routes for local farmers. WFP has said the funds will also equip aggregation centres with cold storage and modern food processing facilities to improve the quality and value of locally produced food.

Since early 2024, nearly 150,000 additional Rohingya have fled to the camps in Cox's Bazar due to intensified fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine State, taking the total population to nearly 1.2 million, WFP has said. It warned that without additional funding to cover a $150 million gap, its food and nutrition services for Rohingya families could face major disruption from April 2026.

'At a time when humanitarian needs in Cox's Bazar remain extraordinarily high, this funding from the Government of Japan is both timely and critical,' said Simone Parchment, WFP Bangladesh country director (acting). 'We are deeply grateful for Japan's steadfast commitment to the Rohingya and Bangladeshi host communities. For years, Japan's support has been central to WFP's life-saving and life-changing mission in Bangladesh. We call on other donors to also step up to safeguard the lives, wellbeing, and dignity of vulnerable communities such as the Rohingya.'

WFP has said Japan has supported the Rohingya humanitarian response since August 2017, contributing more than $260 million to WFP and other UN agencies and non-government organisations, including the latest contribution.