WASHINGTON, DC, US — Cargill announced it would donate $1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) after it was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

The company is a partner with World Food Program USA.

The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. The program has been working throughout 2020 on providing food assistance during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has contributed to an increase in hungry people in the world.

“The Nobel committee could not have chosen a more deserving organization for the Nobel Peace Prize,” said Michelle Grogg, vice president of corporate responsibility at Cargill. “The WFP has worked tirelessly to end systemic hunger and we are thrilled to celebrate and honor them by matching the peace prize award. This $1 million contribution builds on our 20-year partnership to address food insecurity and advance farmer livelihoods around the world. And we encourage others to join in and support the WFP as it will take all of us working together to end systemic hunger and ensure a safe, sustainable and affordable food system for all.”

The UN World Food Programme estimates that the number of severely hungry people could jump to 250 million people by the end of 2020. Cargill said it wants other US corporations to join the campaign to Stop Starvation Now and help millions of people get food needed to survive.

“We are grateful to our long-standing partner, Cargill, for their significant commitment to support the UN World Food Programme,” said Randy Russel, chair of the World Food Program USA board. “Cargill is an excellent example of the commitment of the American agriculture industry in its generations-long support of feeding people around the world.”

Cargill said it supported WFP’s mission with school meals, programs for smallholder farmers and disaster relief operations in many countries around the world.