The U.S. World Food Program has announced that it will accept a number of cryptocurrencies as donations, starting with Bitcoin!

The U.S. World Food Program (WFP USA) announced that it is now accepting cryptocurrency donations, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and more than 80 other digital assets, to fill critical funding gaps and combat global hunger.

The US World Food Program Accepts Bitcoin and Dogecoin Donations Amidst the Financing Crisis

This move came at a time when the organization aimed to raise 25 million dollars through the Emergency Hunger Relief Fund to support food assistance for 58 million people facing hunger worldwide.

Although WFP USA operates independently from the UN World Food Programme, it shares the mission of addressing food insecurity in some of the world's most vulnerable regions.

The effort to adopt cryptocurrency donations came after serious funding cuts that halted U.S. financial support for emergency food aid efforts in 14 countries, including Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, during the Trump administration.

WFP officials warned that funding cuts could have devastating consequences, describing these cuts as a potential "death sentence" for millions of people who are already on the brink of starvation.

A Modern Approach to Humanitarian Aid

WFP's Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, Dorota Amin, stated that the organization has adopted developing technologies such as blockchain and crypto not only out of innovation but also necessity.

"Traditional aid systems are under great pressure. Adopting new technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrency is not just a choice, but a necessity."

The benefits of crypto donations go beyond speed and efficiency. WFP USA stated that blockchain-based payments have lower transaction fees, meaning a larger portion of each donation goes directly to aid efforts.

As a development related to the issue, according to a report by Reuters, the White House confirmed on Wednesday that it plans to provide some funding to the UN World Food Program. However, U.S. officials stated that they want the organization to make changes in certain countries before the full amount of funding is returned.