In a first-ever collaboration on emergency hunger relief, leading global agribusiness and food companies Cargill, Bunge, ADM and Louis Dreyfus Company are partnering to prevent famine and contain the spread of hunger in East Africa.

The companies will contribute a combined $525,000 to help the World Food Programme (WFP)—the world’s leading humanitarian agency fighting global hunger—reach tens of thousands of families in East Africa. WFP has launched a coordinated response to conflict-induced famine in South Sudan, and to acute malnutrition in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, wher drought has destroyed thousands of acres of crops and left millions of families in need of emergency food assistance.

“We can turn the tide and save millions of lives,” said President and CEO of World Food Programme USA Rick Leach. “Support from leading companies and individuals will be the key to reaching millions of people as quickly as possible before it’s too late.”

Currently drought, economic instability and conflict are having a profound impact on more than 16 million people, including:

• In Somalia, two consecutive below-average rainy seasons have resulted in near total crop failure, widespread water and pasture shortages, an increase in livestock deaths and spikes in staple food prices, leaving 3 million people unsure of wher their next meal is coming from.

• In South Sudan, more than 40 percent of the population requires urgent emergency food assistance as a result of conflict-induced food insecurity, and 100,000 people are facing life-threatening famine conditions.

• In Ethiopia, 5.6 million people require emergency food assistance as a result of drought.

• In Kenya, nearly 344,000 young children are acutely malnourished as a result of the ongoing drought in the country’s arid and semi-arid northern and eastern regions.

Because of the generosity of private sector donors, WFP is able to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance, including e-voucher-cards for local food purchases, in-kind food rations, and targeted nutrition support for pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children.

“Companies and individuals are stepping up to address the emergency and advance longer term solutions,” said Leach. “We hope it inspires others to donate and get involved today.”