The World Food Programme (WFP) is facing possible breakdowns in its supply pipelines for IDPs and other beneficiaries in Sri Lanka yet again and has now sought a government loan to bridge the shortfall, WFP said.

"WFP operations in Sri Lanka face pipeline breaks in cereals and sugar (January) and blended food (December). To ensure uninterrupted distributions, WFP is negotiating a loan from the government, but if no further contributions are received rations will have to be reduced and Food-for-Work activities will have to be delayed,

"until commodities become available," WFP said in its latest Operational Priorities Report for November 2007. The possible shortfall is over 16,000 metric tonnes.

The WFP food supplies are delivered to IDPs as well as poor households in the south as well, and reach up to two million beneficiaries. The report said that displaced populations were unlikely to return home any time soon and food supplies were critical for them.

"The displaced populations in Sri Lanka have lost their livelihoods, with little prospect of returning home, and are almost completely dependent on food assistance. Traditional coping strategies (reducing portions, selling/pawning of jewellery, relying on less preferred foods) are rapidly being exhausted. WFP food rations are critical to prevent vulnerable families from resorting to more damaging strategies like cutting meals and migrating in search of food."

The WFP also said that it is facing fund shortfalls relating to its logistics and operational activities as well.

"Funds are urgently needed to make the Vavuniya hub the transit point for cargo moving to the Wanni complying to the minimum operating security standards (MOSS).