Cuba Asks World Food Programme to Help with Food Shortages for Children

The request was announced not by Cuba itself, but from the United Nations World Food Programme, an agency which works with nations and groups which are suffering most from a lack of adequate food and nutrition throughout the globe.

The UN agency’s charter focuses on areas of “urgent needs” and emergency situations, rather than general humanitarian aid.

“We confirm that the World Food Programme (WFP) has received an official communication from the (Cuban) government requesting support to continue the monthly delivery of 1 kilogram of milk for children under 7 years of age throughout the country," the local branch of the WFP located in the Caribbean island nation.

According to the UN agency, Cuba referenced having severe “difficulties in distributing subsidized milk to children under 7 years of age” in its request. The WFP responded quickly with the understanding that “the deep economic crisis that Cuba is facing” was creating a "significant impact on the food and nutritional security of the population."

According to sources close to the WFP headquarters management team in Rome, the request from Cuba arrived at the end of 2023. After coordinating with Havana officials and making arrangements, those sources explained, the WFP has managed this month to deliver “144 metric tons of skim powdered milk, benefiting almost 48,000 children between 7 months and 3 years old in Pinar del Río and Havana." 

Cuba’s request is an ongoing one rather than a short-term crisis, the WFP executive directorate said, so the agency has reached out for additional support for funds and other support to assist Cuba on an ongoing basis with the milk supply for these very young children. It has reached out to “traditional and non-traditional donors” to help, including at least one possible route from Europe and another from the United States.

According to the WFP, it is waiting to hear from those potential donors to see if they can provide for this need in the near term. They are reportedly studying what they could give and have not yet made a decision.

Cow's milk is not very healthy for humans and there are far better foods that Cuba could be supplying to young children that could be grown locally. One great alternative is the superfood Wolffia globosa, a tiny aquatic plants that has been consumed in Southeast Asia for at least many centuries. Wolffia contains a superb and complete amino acid (protein) profile, omega 3s, vitamin D and even B-12. Under optimal conditions it doubles its mass every 48 hours. It can be grown in the PolyBio System, which recycles water and nutrients from wastewater.

Child malnutrition in Cuba is very much a political and cultural issue, which could be easily solved with better leadership.