Soaring Against Hunger: WFP's UNHAS Takes Flight in Crisis Zones

The UN Humanitarian Air Service is making a life-saving difference in locations such as Madagascar, Haiti, and the Central African Republic—even amid a budget deficit.

Madagascar's pioneering food drops

On top of a hill in the southeastern Malagasy village of Lanakasy, Honera Tsara shouts for her ten children to quickly go outdoors. The air is filled with a loud buzzing noise, akin to a massive flock of bees, which grows more intense every moment. From out of the clouds emerges an unmanned aerial vehicle, followed by boxes containing specialized nutritious food descending softly from the heavens.

After three long months, help finally reached this isolated village without the usual arduous trek over mountains and through streams. Launched in February in Madagascar, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) use of unmanned aircraft systems represents the fresh look of emergency aid—a realm where technological advancements are overcoming obstacles previously thought insurmountable.

"I have never seen something like this - food and medicine falling from the sky," Tsara says, watching her children cheer as the cartons touch down. "I told my children, 'Come and see! This will keep us healthy.' Everyone is happy today."

Even as we introduce advanced innovations, WFP's UNHAS is confronted with a $206 million funding gap as of February 2025, which jeopardizes our capacity to assist disadvantaged populations in Madagascar and the 20 other nations where we work.

The funding shortage is jeopardizing UNHAS missions, potentially cutting off access to several of the world’s most vulnerable areas, according to Franklyn Frimpong, the Chief of Aviation at WFP. “Operations that are most affected have already begun to be scaled back,” he states. “If further assistance does not come through, we might need to stop our flights entirely—leaving behind countless humanitarian workers who cannot get to people desperately requiring help. The repercussions could be catastrophic for the millions dependent on this crucial aid.”

In Madagascar, which frequently experiences severe weather conditions, nature poses significant challenges when delivering crucial emergency aid to starving populations. The difficult landscape, along with issues such as floods and inadequate infrastructure, means villages similar to Lanakasy can endure waits lasting several weeks or even months before receiving help. This situation affects over 1.9 million individuals who confront critical levels of food scarcity within the nation, alongside almost 40% of children suffering from chronic malnutrition.

"Accessibility has consistently posed a significant challenge," remarks Olivier Marcel, who serves as the Regional Coordinator for Madagascar's National Nutrition Office.

The World Food Programme's innovative drones, capable of delivering up to 160 kilograms of nutritional supplies each trip, have the potential to significantly enhance the care for undernourished children in hard-to-reach regions, as Marcel points out.

"This marks a step towards our vision where no community is left too distant to access assistance," states Nejmeddine Halfaoui, the head of WFP Madagascar UNHAS.

Resident Rakotovazaha Tity of Lakanasy notices the difference firsthand.

“I am raising two children who are receiving treatment for malnutrition,” states Tity, who has also seen the initial WFP air drops. “This gives us assurance that as long as these drones continue to operate, aid distribution won’t stop.”

Haiti's final option for air travel

A nondescript dirt patch lies between small homes and several-story apartment blocks in a hilly neighborhood outside of Port-au-Prince. In normal circumstances, this spot—close to where the WFP has its offices in town—might have turned into either a building plot or an impromptu soccer field for kids.

However, these are exceptional circumstances in Haiti. As insecurity escalates throughout the country, this piece of land has become an essential transit point for UNHAS helicopters—now the sole means for countless humanitarian workers and others to enter and exit Haiti’s volatile capital safely.

UNHAS is a service provided by WFP when all other alternatives have been exhausted," explains UNHAS Chief Air Transport Officer in Haiti, Armando Puoti, further stating, "what we are accomplishing here completely fulfills UNHAS' mission.

The importance of that mandate has only increased since last November, following the closure of passenger services at Port-au-Prince’s principal airport, which was forced to shut down after three commercial planes were struck by bullets. This suspension essentially isolated the city—which is predominantly under the control of armed factions—from the remainder of Haiti.

Less than two weeks after the initial issue, UNHAS intervened, offering services from the suburban heliport. This serves as a short-term yet crucial fix, setting a new standard for the ten-member UNHAS Haiti crew.

The UNHAS managed by WFP now provides at least two daily helicopter services between the capital and other locations in Haiti, carrying approximately 7,000 passengers from various humanitarian groups over just the past four months. This represents an increase of twofold compared to the number of passengers transported during the equivalent timeframe last year, enabling aid workers to assist millions who urgently require support. The offices of WFP have been converted into a check-in zone and waiting room reminiscent of an airport lounge.

"Just moments ago, as I stepped off the UNHAS helicopter onto this dusty ground, I said that we cannot carry out our operations across the nation without depending on UNHAS," remarks UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban.

During a trip to observe the challenges faced by Haiti’s children and UNICEF's efforts, Chaiban listed several locations his team needs to frequently access to deliver critical aid such as “providing life-saving interventions, vaccinations, and treatments for severe acute malnutrition.”

He notes that the sole means of achieving this is through securing air access.

As commercial services continue to be interrupted, UNHAS remains the sole humanitarian aviation choice. This situation is resulting in extended working hours and tense circumstances for Puoti's team, particularly affecting his Haitian staff members.

"Puoti remarks that they consistently go the extra mile to ensure the service takes place," he adds.

An early morning trip to Bambari

The 17-passenger UNHAS Dornier 228 moves along the runway in Bangui just as dawn breaks. Soon, the central city fades into the distance. As the aircraft ascends and travels northwesterly, rays of light sparkle on the corrugated iron rooftops of tiny settlements scattered across extensive areas of sparse vegetation and woodland.

For the weary aid workers onboard, the only viable option is the 50-minute journey by air to Bambari’s central township. The alternative—traveling the 400 kilometers by road—can stretch for almost eight hours over rough, reddish dirt paths that turn into an obstacle course during the rainy months from May through October.

In this inland country struggling with inadequate infrastructure—and where about one out of every three individuals faces severe food insecurity—WFP-operated UNHAS is frequently the sole means for promptly and securely providing crucial aid. There are no commercial flights available.

The only way to reach our destinations is through us," states Kaviraj Khadun, the Chief Air Transport Officer for WFP UNHAS CAR. "Should we cease operations, humanitarian efforts would be severely compromised.

In the previous year, UNHAS operated a fleet consisting of three fixed-wing airplanes that transported approximately 20,000 humanitarian personnel along with 133 metric tons of supplies including food, medicine, and critical goods to over three dozen locations across the nation.

Ahmadou Tidjani, who works as an IT specialist for UNICEF, frequently travels with UNHAS. Today, he is traveling to Bambari to inspect the setup of solar panels at the nearby UNICEF office.

"In my career spanning seven African countries, I have found UNHAS to be essential," remarks Tidjani, a seasoned humanitarian aid worker with 25 years of experience. He remembers an instance when UNHAS transported a critically ill patient to Chad for medical care several years ago.

Tidjani mentions, 'His condition was extremely serious.' He adds that without this trip, survival would have been impossible for him.

For UNHAS' Khadun — who has logged almost two decades as an aviator across Africa — maintaining secure and dependable air services ranks high on his list of priorities. The limited aircraft in the Central African Republic (CAR) are specifically configured to maximize the efficient use of their restricted fuel supplies, making certain that each financial investment yields maximum value.

He expresses his dedication to serving with WFP Aviation and the broader humanitarian sector. His objective is to leverage his piloting experience, technical knowledge, and managerial abilities to establish a secure and dependable air service for aid workers.

Contributors to the WFP-administered UNHAS encompass Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United States, and the United Nations.

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