WFP won the award for its "efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.

The winner will get prize money worth 10m Swedish krona ($1.1m).

Reacting to the win, WFP tweeted, "Deepest thanks @NobelPrize for honouring the World Food Programme with the 2020 #NobelPeacePrize. This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand."

The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the world.

It is awarded in the fields of peace, literature, physics, medicine, chemistry and economics.

The recipient of the award receives a Nobel diploma, each of which is a unique work of art, a medallion, and cash prize, which is split between winners in case there is more than one.