Humanitarian Emergency Response: food aid

Humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of assessed needs and the principles of humanity criterion to prevent and alleviate human suffering, protecting and respecting the life, health and dignity of each individual. Maintaining neutrality and providing aid solely to non combatants is crucial in emergency responses. There should be no discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political opinions, race or religion which makes the relief initiation to be guided solely by needs.

Particular efforts must be made to ensure that food aid to reach and benefits the neediest. Assistance is to be provided on the basis of assessments of needs. Priority should be given to those who most need food. Nutritional emergency aid should seek to secure safe and unimpeded access to vulnerable people and areas for assessment, delivery, distribution and monitoring of food aid. With respect to securing self reliance the aim is that the type, scale, timing and manner of food aid delivery supports livelihoods, reduces vulnerability to future food scarcities and supports durable solutions. Food aid should not undermine local agricultural production, marketing or coping mechanisms, nor should it disturb normal migratory patterns or foster dependency. Beneficiaries should be involved, whenever possible, in the design and implementation of food aid programs that best address their needs and there should be meaningful participation. People should be helped to remain in their home areas whenever possible. Families and households should be permitted to function normally, particularly in food preparation and eating. Women must be consulted and should participate fully in all decisions concerning the planning and management of food distribution. Women should be fully informed about ration levels and ration cards should be issued in their name. relief food should be provided directly to women wherever possible, taking account of security risks in particular as the best way of ensuring that family food requirements are met. Food aid should be part of a coherent, comprehensive assistance package that is designed to address the overall needs of beneficiaries. it must work within the framework of established UN coordination mechanisms and with the government, donors and NGOs to ensure effective coordination. Delivery and distribution systems should be planned and implemented in ways that take staff, partner and beneficiary security into account. Adequate systems and plans should be in place to facilitate quick response to any crisis in order to save lives and prevent distress migration.

For attending to the special needs of vulnerable groups, it is essential to take account of the new roles that women may have taken on as a result of the crisis and the particular challenges they face in receiving emergency rations and meeting the food needs of their families. Programs should be designed to ensure women’s full information about entitlements and their full participation in decision making groups, and to facilitate their equal access to resources, employment, markets and trade. Children’s special needs should also be taken into account. They are entitled to special protection, opportunities and facilities that enable them to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in conditions of freedom and dignity. Support must be given to measure that help to assure their social and psychological needs while providing food aid to meet children’s nutritional needs.

In terms of internally displaced persons IDPs the aim should be to recognize and understand their particular situation and needs of food insecurity. While providing food aid to help IDPs meet their food needs and reestablish normal, or new, livelihoods and coping mechanisms, give support also to measures that help to assure them the same rights and freedoms as other persons in their country. Food aid program should work closely with refugee relief agencies to address the food needs of refugees and to support food related activities aimed at building their self reliance.

Assessing the Situation

Assessment must determine, whether external emergency assistance is needed and if so, whether food aid would be appropriate. By whom, how and through what mechanisms it should be provided and targeted, taking account of the available capacities for implementation, as well as any practical constraints.

Assessment estimates the total emergency food needs of the identified target populations. Unmet needs are then determined taking account of the food supply situation in the country as a whole and other possible sources of food assistance.

Assessment of the food situation and food aid needs is usually undertaken jointly with appropriate partners, refugees, and other populations.

Basic questions to be answered by an assessment – is food aid needed?
How has the crisis affected people’s ability to purchase/grow/gather/receive food or earn cash? Are some people unable to provide enough food for themselves and their families as a result of the crisis?

Why are people food-insecure? Is it because of an absolute shortage of food in the area, a lack of purchasing power, and/or social discrimination?

If there are abnormal levels of acute malnutrition, are the causes: inadequate food, inequitable food availability, poor feeding practices, and /or disease?

How is the food supply and nutrition situation likely to evolve in the coming weeks and months?

Would food aid be an appropriate response to some or all of the problems/needs?

FOR WHOM? WHERE?WHAT?HOW MUCH? WHEN? And HOW?


Source: WFP Emergency Field Operations