Having donating no less than US$ 75 million in food aid to countries facing crisis up to August of this year, Brazil is now considered to one of the international community’s largest contributors to the World Food Program (WFP). In 2011 the Brazilian government has donated over 300,000 tons of food to 35 countries. In addition, Brazil is considered to be one of the leading nations in supporting humanitarian aid.

In a recent statement, the WFP highlighted Brazil's efforts both in donating food and with international humanitarian assistance partnerships. The Brazilian government announced that it will maintain food donations, not just through to December, but also in 2014.

By the end of the year the intention is to distribute 90,000 tons of rice in Latin America to Bolivia and Honduras, and in Africa to Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Uganda, Mozambique, Niger, Zimbabwe and Senegal. Brazil participates in peacekeeping missions in Haiti, a country whose government is seeking political, economic and social stability, and in Syria, which has faced internal clashes over differences between President Bashar Al Assad and the opposition over the last 17 months.

The Foreign Ministry informed that Brazil maintains a series of partnerships with several countries to stimulate agricultural productivity and rural development in an attempt to achieve food security. Considering only in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, more than 24,000 tons of Brazilian rice and beans have been distributed to residents who suffered from the earthquake of January 2010. The cost of distribution was met by Spain. In Africa, more than 65,000 tons of Brazilian maize and beans were donated to countries such as Somalia.

22 August 2012