MasterCard partners WFP on digital food

As efforts to combat food insecurity worldwide, MasterCard is partnering the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) to help people break the cycle of hunger and poverty.

The global partnership, according to a press statement made available to DigitalSENSE News revealed that MasterCard's expertise in electronic payments systems would be put to use while WFP's global reach among the world's hungriest populations to meet the food needs of those that are most vulnerable.
Speaking on the partnership, WFP Director of Communications, Public Policy and Private Partnerships, Nancy Roman said the partnership is a great example of how transformative private sector innovate against hunger.

Drawing on MasterCard's technical knowledge and reach, Roman added that WFP will further develop both its electronic voucher programmes which enable hungry families to buy nutrituous food in local markets, and online donation mechanism to engage individual and brands all over the world to work together in the fight against hunger.

Omokehinde Ojomuyide

 Country Manager,  Mastercard Nigeria

Through the 'Digital Food Project,' MasterCard’s payment and technology expertise will help WFP to refine and improve its systems that deliver food vouchers via mobile phones or banking cards to people without regular access to banks or financial services.

President of International Markets, MasterCArd, Ann Cairns noted that the company's vision of a world beyond cash is the perfect partner for WFP’s vision of a world beyond hunger.

"Today we have committed to delivering a ground breaking partnership, which will ensure our Digital Food initiative will go on to meet the requirements of those who need it most around the world,” Cairns said.
MasterCard has committed to use its marketing and brand capacity to help in raising awareness and funds for WFP in several key markets, and the company has already carried out two fundraising campaigns for WFP, in Poland and in the Netherlands, raising tens of thousands of Euros for WFP’s operations around the world.

MasterCard will also help the UN agency to create an enhanced online donation mechanism that will allow more people to donate through a wider variety of online payment methods.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

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