Ireland is set to increase its contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme by 40% between 2025-2027.
The increase, announced today by Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, who is visiting Africa this week, brings Ireland's total funding to the programme to €105 million.
It is Ireland's highest ever WFP contribution.
Ireland has long been a contributor to the UN World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian organisation that delivers life-saving food assistance in regions affected by conflict, instability and climate change.
During his visit to Africa to mark St Patrick's week, Minister McConalogue visited a number of WFP projects, including a refugee camp in Kenya which is accommodating 200,000 people.
The minister said conflict and climate shocks in Africa have led to a sharp rise in the number of acutely food-insecure people and Ireland's increased funding will enable the World Food Programme to continue to respond to their needs.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the minister said the work provided by the UN World Food Programme is "massively important" where many people are surviving "hand to mouth" with the only nourishment from the food provided by the programme.
He said as part of the St Patrick's Day expedition he wanted to visit areas in Africa where some of the "key work" is carried out by the WFP.
