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1.Transparency: What is WFP doing to

enhance transparency?

Global Initiatives

Improving data transparency and

accessibility: The timing, quality and quantity of

financial data published by WFP is widely

acknowledged as a corporate strength. In 2016,

WFP ranked first of 473 organizations in the

financial transparency rating of the International

Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI). WFP is moving

forward with the development of a regularly

updated online portal which will enable member

states and donors to track how we are deploying

resources to support activities and outcomes

against the planned budget. This portal is

expected to be operational by the second quarter

of 2018.

Operational Examples

Country Portfolio Budget: WFP’s Country

Portfolio Budget consolidates all funding

requirements in one place, helping partners

understand what WFP seeks to achieve in

country. Coherence in budgeting and

prioritization are key benefits of the Country

Portfolio Budget. It provides a clear line of sight

starting from country specific activities through

country strategic outcomes to SDG targets, all

aligned with corporate strategic objectives.

WFP’s Country Offices in Colombia, Indonesia,

Jordan, Kenya, Niger, Uganda, Yemen and

Zimbabwe undertook the first pilot development

of the Country Portfolio Budget structure in 2015

and 2016.

WFP and the Grand Bargain Update on WFP’s implementation of the Grand Bargain

World Food Programme

February 2017

A Shared Commitment to Better Serve

People in Need

The Grand Bargain is a set of commitments

made by fifteen of the largest donors and fifteen

of the largest aid organizations, including WFP,

at the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016.

Through the Grand Bargain, the humanitarian

system has instituted mutually reinforcing re-

forms aimed at better serving people in need.

WFP’s Strategic Plan 2017-2021 with its focus on

SDG2 on ending hunger and SDG17 on global

partnerships is a manifestation of the new way of

working agreed at the World Humanitarian Sum-

mit. The Strategic Plan supports the shift in

WFP’s operations and resource mobilization from

short-term, project specific interventions to long

term, strategic results and outcomes.

This update highlights key actions taken by WFP

at global and country-level to become a more

efficient organization and adopt the new way of

working that meets people’s immediate humani-

tarian needs, while at the same time reducing

risk and vulnerability.

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2. Local and National Responders:

Has WFP increased its support to first responders?

Global Initiatives

Investing in local capacity: For WFP to

support governments achieve zero hunger, it

needs to leverage local partners and their

capacity. Thus, the 2017-2021 Strategic Plan

stipulates that WFP will ‘’make strategic

demand-side investments in the capacity

strengthening of relevant national and local

NGOs, farmers’ organizations and other

community-based organizations to help

communities lead and sustain their own fight

against hunger and achieve SDG 2.’’ Further,

WFP ‘’will pay special attention to

strengthening the performance capacity of

local crisis responders.’’

Greater transfers to local actors:

Consensus emerged at the World

Humanitarian Summit around the merit of

localizing humanitarian preparedness and

response. Empowering local actors entails a

reallocation of resources in the international

aid system. For its, part WFP will transfer at

least 25 percent of its expenditure to first

responders by 2020 – as compared to a 20

percent baseline in 2015.

WFP is applying a “whole of society

approach” to its Country Strategic

Planning process. Under government

leadership, Country Strategic Reviews include

the participation of a wide range of

stakeholders, including local NGOs,

community-based organizations, faith-inspired

organizations, and Red Cross/Red Crescent

societies. These organizations are

systematically included in the design and

implementation of WFP Country Strategic

Plans.

Operational Examples

Joint capacity strengthening: In 2017-

2018, WFP and the International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

are jointly investing in the capacity of Red

Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in

Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Pakistan

and Sudan.

3. Cash-based Transfers: How is

WFP scaling up cash-based transfers?

Global Initiatives

For WFP, cash is a standard transfer

modality – alongside in-kind food, value

vouchers and commodity vouchers. WFP is

scaling up cash-based transfers in over 50

countries – reaching close to ten million

people with nearly US$ 1 billion in transfer

value. This represents a quarter of WFP’s

food assistance portfolio.

Operational Examples

Turkey - Providing cash through the

Emergency Social Safety Net: WFP

partners with the Turkish Government,

Turkish Red Crescent and ECHO in the

Emergency Social Safety Net programme

(ESSN). The ESSN enables 1 million refugees

to afford food, rent, medicine, winter clothes

and other essentials. Each refugee family

receives a debit card for use in local shops or

in ATMs.

Somalia - Digital beneficiary and transfer

management: WFP uses digital payments to

progressively scale up cash. In Somalia, a

digital beneficiary management system

(SCOPE) allows real-time electronic

management of programmes. Following

biometric registration, beneficiaries receive e-

cards to purchase food in local shops or to

access food assistance. Fingerprints serve as

a signature and assistance can only be

redeemed by the individuals registered on the

card.

4. Duplication and Management

Costs: What is WFP doing to reduce

duplication and management costs?

Global Initiatives

By providing common logistical services,

WFP drives down the cost of humanitarian

assistance for the system as a whole. These

services include the UN Humanitarian Air

Service, the UN Humanitarian Response

Depots, and the Fast Information Technology

and Telecommunications Emergency and

Support Team. Through its leadership of

clusters, WFP helps ensure that those in

greatest needs are prioritized for assistance.

World Food Programme

February 2017

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Cost excellence: In 2015-16, WFP

conducted a comprehensive analysis of travel,

facilities and utilities costs to identify ways of

achieving better value for money. A total of

US$ 3.8 million was saved and subsequently

reinvested in strategic priority areas.

Cost excellence: In 2016 WFP examined

processes in finance, human resources,

information technology, management

services, and supply chain with a view to

optimizing effectiveness and costs. The

emphasis in 2017 is on further improving

these processes, particularly those with a high

volume of transactions. The purpose is to

enable field offices to focus on work that adds

operational value, and to spend less resources

on time-consuming processes. In 2017, WFP

aims to generate potential savings of up to

USD 6.2 million.

Operational Examples

Haiti – system-wide logistics

coordination of Hurricane Matthew

response: As Hurricane Matthew made

landfall in October 2016, WFP and the Global

Logistics Cluster mobilized rapid response with

Government and humanitarian partners.

Airlifts from UN Humanitarian Response

Depots, customs clearance support and

international ocean freight helped keep

transport costs to a minimum. Logistics

Emergency Team partners (Agility, Maersk,

UPS) provided pro bono support. WFP

coordinated access to US military air assets

and to Dutch navy vessels, enabling aid to be

delivered to people in hard to reach areas.

WFP also contracted commercial air and sea

services and offered a fleet of off-road trucks

and warehouses, thereby reducing

competition for scarce assets and ensuring

rapid and cost-effective response.

Iraq – WFP cost optimization through

supply chain improvements: WFP has

piloted its new Optimus solution in Iraq.

Optimus enables WFP to optimize food

baskets (nutritional value, choice of

commodities and ration sizes), transfer

modalities (in-kind food deliveries, cash-based

transfers, hybrid responses) within supply

chain (lead times, capacities) and budget

constraints. As a result, WFP has achieved

savings of USD 1.1 million per month in Iraq.

South Sudan – Reducing the costs of

airdrops: WFP with its partner SkyLife have

designed a new aerial delivery system to

reach remote locations where there is no

surface transport infrastructure and high

insecurity. WFP’s effectiveness in delivering

large volumes of food has increased

dramatically through the use of fixed wing

aircraft. These aircrafts offer higher delivery

capacity than helicopters. They have reduced

delivery costs of airdrops by 75%.

5. Needs Assessments: How is WFP

taking forward joint needs

assessments? Global Initiatives

Joint assessments: WFP routinely carries

out joint assessments with partners, both

cross-sectoral assessments and in-depth food

security and nutrition assessments. Examples

of well-established joint assessments include

Crop and Food Security Assessment missions

with FAO, Multi Cluster/Sector Initial Rapid

Assessments with OCHA, Joint Assessment

Missions with UNHCR, and Post Disaster/

Conflict Needs Assessments with UNDP.

DFID’s Multilateral Aid Review (2015)

highlighted ‘’…the reliability of needs

assessments and their use to inform

programming“ as one of WFP’s many

strengths.

A new global network: In 2016, WFP, FAO

and EU launched the "Global Network against

Food Crises". The network acts as a catalyst

for shared assessment of needs and for

collective analysis of impact. It will enhance

response to food and nutrition crises, by

bridging humanitarian and development

programming.

A new approach: Also in 2016, WFP, UNICEF

and other partners finalized the Joint

Approach to Nutrition and Food Security

Assessments, following three years piloting of

the assessment tools in East and Central

Africa.

The Integrated Food Security Phase

Classification (IPC): For WFP, the IPC and

cluster coordination are two key tools to

support joint needs assessments. As a global

multi-stakeholder partnership involving UN

agencies, NGOs, the EU, governments and

FEWSNET, the IPC builds consensus on the

severity and causes of food insecurity

situations.

World Food Programme

February 2017

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Operational Examples

IPC in South Sudan: WFP supports IPC

assessments in emergencies, including Central

African Republic, North Eastern Nigeria, South

Sudan, Southern Africa and Yemen. The IPC is

conducted quarterly in South Sudan. WFP is

part of the government-led IPC technical

working group, along with FAO, OCHA,

UNICEF, WHO, FEWSNET, ACF, CARE, Save

the Children, World Vision, NRC, Oxfam and

IRC. WFP leads IPC mapping and provides

technical expertise on food security and

nutrition early warning and analysis of

assessment findings.

Joint assessments with FAO: In 2016, WFP

conducted joint crop and food security

assessments with FAO in Central African

Republic, Haiti, Madagascar, Myanmar, South

Sudan and Syria to determine the magnitude

of the food security crisis in these countries.

Mobile food security monitoring in L3s:

WFP uses mobile food security monitoring

(mVAM) in all current L3 emergencies. mVAM

allows WFP to conduct surveys remotely using

call centers, SMS and interactive voice

response in conflict settings where systematic

data collection is difficult, timely and

expensive. The information collected includes

food consumption, coping strategies, and

market prices. It is made available as a global

public good through OCHA’s Humanitarian

Data Exchange platform. 6. Participation Revolution: Is WFP holding itself accountable to

affected populations? Global Initiatives

New Strategy on Accountability to

Affected Populations (AAP): WFP’s vision

for AAP – outlined in the new strategy – is

that by 2018, all people served by WFP are

able to hold the organization to account for

hunger results and for addressing their needs

in a manner that reflects their views and

preferences. WFP will continue to raise

awareness on AAP among staff and partners,

aiming to enhance inter-agency collaboration

and coordination. WFP is also piloting

programmatic and technological innovations

for AAP and integrating AAP in WFP’s

corporate monitoring and evaluation

frameworks.

Operational Examples

Haiti - ensuring AAP in the Hurricane

Mathew response: In Haiti, as part of the

response to Hurricane Mathew, WFP deployed,

through the NRC roster, a protection and AAP

advisor. The advisor works with the Country

Office on improving information provision and

setting up a sustainable complaints and

feedback mechanism that can be expanded to

long-term programmes beyond the hurricane

response. WFP coordinates this effort with

UNICEF, OCHA, NGOs and the Government to

maximize efficiency and better use of

resources.

Iraq - consultations throughout the

project cycle: WFP Iraq implements a pilot

project of unrestricted cash to respond to food

security needs. As part of the project, WFP

applies several forms of two-way

communication methods to engage with the

affected communities before and after project

implementation. The participants who have

been consulted prior to implementation are

engaged again to provide feedback on how

the cash transfers have changed the way they

are purchasing and using food, whether

unrestricted cash assistance has changed

their level of dignity and safety, and the

impact of the project on social dynamics at

the household and community level.

7. Flexible and multi-year funding:

How is WFP facilitating more flexible and predictable funding?

Global Initiatives

The Immediate Response Account (IRA):

The IRA is WFP’s life-saving funding facility. It

allows WFP to provide rapid injections of

resources to address life-threatening

situations where no contributions are available

or forecast. The IRA is replenished with donor

contributions and through the revolving of

project allocations.

Strategic Partnership Agreements

(SPAs): WFP promotes SPAs with donors to

allow for predictable and flexible funding

around a set of jointly agreed longer-term

objectives. WFP currently has SPAs with 12

donors.

Donor visibility: WFP reports and recognizes

flexible contributions in various ways,

including the ‘WFP’s use of multilateral

funding’ report.

World Food Programme

February 2017

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Operational Examples

Country Strategic Plans: Country Strategic

Plans, which cover a time period up to five

years, contain the outcomes, outputs and

activities that WFP will achieve, thus providing

a better basis for donors to provide resources

over multi-year periods.

IRA funding for Yemen: More than half of

Yemen’s population is slipping into hunger at

‘crisis’ or ‘emergency’ levels, and seven

million people are severely food insecure.

Despite limited direct donor contributions,

WFP has been able to feed six million people

in Yemen every two months thanks to crucial

IRA funding totaling US$ 20 million.

8. Reporting requirements: Is WFP harmonizing and simplifying

reporting requirements? Global Initiatives

Harmonization of partnership processes:

WFP is working with UNHCR and UNICEF to

simplify and harmonize partner selection,

reporting, and agreement processes,

standards and templates. OCHA are also now

engaged in this work. Successful delivery will

be welcomed by NGO partners, who have

advocated strongly for a more streamlined

approach to partnership by UN agencies. It

will also facilitate UN partnerships with local

and national responders, by reducing

complexity, and highlighting opportunities for

capacity strengthening.

Seeking a joint approach to simplified

reporting: WFP participates in the Simplified

and Harmonized Reporting initiative led by

ICVA, Norway and Germany. WFP will use the

2016 Standard Project Report (SPR) process

to pilot a harmonized template for donor

reporting proposed by this group.

9. Humanitarian-Development

Nexus: How is WFP leveraging the humanitarian-development nexus?

Global Initiatives

WFP Strategic Plan 2017-2021: The

Strategic Plan integrates emergency

preparedness and response actions with

development planning at country level. WFP

will save lives in ways that contribute to

collective outcomes over the longer term,

working collaboratively in multi-stakeholder

partnerships across institutional boundaries.

Humanitarian Development Action Group:

WFP has partnered with New York University’s

Center for International Cooperation UNDP,

OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Bank to

develop a think piece entitled, ‘After the World

Humanitarian Summit: Better Humanitarian-

Development Cooperation for Sustainable

Results on the Ground’.

Operational Examples

WFP conducts joint resilience

programming with FAO. Recent examples

include Sudan, Niger and Madagascar, where

WFP and FAO have fielded a joint seed

protection programme.

Country Strategic Plans: The Country

Strategic Plan approach ensures that WFP’s

crisis response supports recovery and long-

term development, and that development

activities are informed by an understanding

of risk and protect vulnerable people from

crises. Country Strategic Plans will be rolled-

out in 2017-2018, with the first wave of

Executive Board approval expected in

February 2017. Starting 01 January 2018, all

Country Offices will be implementing the new

programmatic framework, including through

transitional arrangements.

Uganda - Durable solutions for refugee

and host communities: Uganda is one of

three UNHCR and WFP ‘self-reliance’ pilots

together with Chad and South Sudan. In

2014, UNHCR and WFP launched a new

programme to enable refugee farmers to

engage in the local agricultural economy.

Having received land for cultivation by the

host government, refugees are trained in

post-harvest handling and storage equipment

together with farmers from the host

community. Based on the lessons in Uganda,

UNHCR and WFP has launched a ‘Joint

Strategy for Enhancing Self-Reliance in Food

Security and Nutrition in Protracted Refugee

Situations’.

World Food Programme

February 2017