Dept.
of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
MANAGEMENT OF
FOOD AND NUTRITION RESPONSES
IN EMERGENCY
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
MoUS RELEVANT TO FOOD/NUTRITION PROGRAMS
UNHCR/WFP: Intervention mandates, needs assessment,
registration, logistics, distribution, monitoring & reporting,
coordination mechanisms.
UNHCR/WHO: cooperation in coordinated contingency
planning, development of joint methods for assessing health
& nutrition situation, development of guidelines & training
materials, development of applied research, & integration of
beneficiary health care activities within national (host
country) health services.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
UNICEF /WFP: needs assessment, monitoring, &
evaluation of services in nutrition, health care, water,
sanitation, child protection, & other social services.
UNICEF provides therapeutic foods and nonfood
items, emergency shelter, nutrition monitoring, &
selective feeding operations.
WFP/FAO: monitor food security & early warning
possible food crises; assessment of food situations
crises with long-term effects on production & supply;
& provision of emergency & recovery needs .
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
SPHERE 2004 MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR
FOOD AND NUTRITION IN EMERGENCIES
Standards available for:
1. Food Security
2. General Nutrition Support & Correction of Malnutrition
3. Food Aid Planning & Management
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Food Security Standards
General Food security: access to adequate & appropriate food & non-
food items to ensures survival, prevents erosion of assets and upholds
their dignity.
Primary Production: Primary production mechanisms are protected &
supported.
Income & employment: Where IGAs & employment are feasible
livelihood strategies, people have access to appropriate IGAs to generate
income & contribute to food security without jeopardizing resources on
which livelihoods are based.
Access to markets: Safe access to market goods & services is protected
& promoted
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
General Nutrition Support and Correction of Malnutrition
•All Groups: Nutritional needs of the population are met.
•At-risk groups:Nutrition & support needs of at-risk grps met
•Moderate malnutrition: Moderate malnutrition is addressed
•Severe Malnutrition: Severe malnutrition is addressed.
•Micronutrient Malnutrition: Deficiencies are addressed.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Food Aid Planning and Management Standards
➢Ration planning: Rations for GFD meet food deficits.
➢Appropriateness & acceptability: Food basket items are appropriate
& acceptable to recipients & can be used efficiently at hh level.
➢Food quality & safety: Food is of appropriate quality & safe for
consumption.
➢Food Handling: Storage, preparation & consumption are safe &
appropriate at all levels.
➢Supply Chain Management: Food aid resources managed, using
transparent & responsive systems.
➢Targeting & Distribution: F/distribution method is responsive,
transparent, equitable & appropriate to local conditions
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
“the organization of capacities & resources to meet
threats to the lives and well-being of refugees/IDP
and other affected populations
Capacities: planning, staffing, structure, systems,
procedures, guidelines, information flow,
communication, decision-making & support)
Resources: availability of the right resources at the
right time
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Distinguishing features of management in
emergency
•The lives and well being of people are at stake;
•Reaction time is short;
•Risk factors are high & consequences of mistakes or delays can be
disastrous;
•There is great uncertainty;
•Contingency planning &other preparedness activities are crucial;
•Staff & managers may be stressed due to, e.g, security problems &
harsh living conditions;
•There is no single obvious right answer.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS (CONTINGENCY PLANNING)
Steps in contingency planning:
• 1. Hazard & risk analysis: list hazards/events that threaten food
security and/or implementation of ongoing assistance operations.
• 2. Contingency priontization: assess probability & likely outcome of
each hazard & select those for which specific plans should be prepared
(e.g. the most probable and the worst-case).
• 3. Scenario building: for each contingency, describe (use assumptions )
likely outcomes & situation that would be faced.
• 4. Contingency plan preparation: define what agencies need to do
to respond to each scenario and how the response would be organized
(see elements)
• 5. Preparedness actions & updating the plan: take specific actions to
enhance preparedness; review analysis & plan(s) regularly, & update
when necessary.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Describing a scenario Make specific planning assumptions:
✓Location(s)/area(s) that are expected to be affected;
✓No.& characteristics of people expected to be affected;
✓Impact on production, markets & access, coping ways;
✓Likely depletion rate of household stocks;
✓Period during which assistance may be required;
✓Assistance actions expected from governments & others;
✓Availability and capacities of implementing partners;
✓Expected constraints on logistic/delivery systems;
✓Security situation and any constraints on movements.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Elements of contingency plan: For each scenario, define:
Programme strategy: objectives, beneficiaries, types of intervention,
rations & relief needs.
Implementation arrangements for: immediate response, assessment,
distribution, implementing partners, monitoring and reporting, &
external coordination
Sources of food: markets, WFP stocks, other agencies
Logistic : transport routes, storage & special operations
Telecommunications systems
Internal (WFP) management and arrangements for: offices, staff,
transport, training & security
Budget items
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
KEY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS
Four (4) key functions required of relief agencies &
individuals for successful management of emergencies:
1. Leading,
2. Planning,
3. Organizing and coordinating;
4. Controlling.
All important not only during emergency response, but also in
the preparedness phase
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
1). Leading : “Process of creating & communicating a
vision for emergency operation, & providing a clear
strategic direction for actions even in situations of
great uncertainty and risk”.
• Someone must make decisions for
implementation – the officer in charge (OIC)
2). Planning : “setting in place the process of
assessing the situation, defining immediate objectives
& longer term goals & activities to accomplish them”.
Planning must be based on detailed needs & resources
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
3). Organizing and Coordinating: This is :
“establishing systems & mechanisms to achieve
objectives, & coordinating pple & organizations to
work together, in a logical way, towards the common
objective”.
It involves selecting, training & supervising staff,
assigning & clarifying roles & responsibilities &
structuring com.& info flow.
4). Controlling : This is “monitoring and evaluating
performance in comparison with plans and initiating
changes where necessary”.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
MANAGEMENT IN FOOD AID AND SFPs
1. Food habits & consumption
Staple food should be culturally acceptable & popn. know &
can process & prepare the food . In SFP, actual consumption
must be checked in order to:
•Adapt theoretical calculation of food needs to actual needs
•Compare consumption with # of beneficiaries to control
cooking & losses of food
2). Food processing :Flour preferred at f1st stages, or local
milling capacity available (ration includes milling cost and
losses, ~10 –20. This is not considered in most emergencies!.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
3). Quality control and specifications
A system should be in place for quality control to ensure GFD
ration is of good quality, safe for human consumption & meets
required specifications.
4). When Commodities are insufficient
These options may be adopted but beneficiaries must be kept
fully informed:
§ -Give equal share to all beneficiaries (i.e. reduce rations);
§ - Give more to most vulnerable & small ration to others;
§ - Postpone distribution until enough food is available.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Registration of beneficiaries includes:
Identification : Bracelet #, name, age, sex, parents
name, address/section of camp/village.
Health indicators : Admission weight, height, W/H%,
clinical signs of maln.(oedema, vitamin deficiencies,
etc.), other medical remarks.
Attendance indicators: Admission, present, absent,
defaulter, discharged, death
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Calculation of Beneficiaries
GFD: Use formula for calculating food requirements
Ration (quantity)/person/day g) x Total beneficiaries x Days of
planned distribution/1,000,000 = Total MT food required
TFP: Total = [(Total population <5years x % severe acute
malnutrition)/100] x Ration quantity (per sachet) x days of planned
distribution/100000= total MT TFP food required.
Targeted SFP: Total = [(Total population <5years x % moderate acute
malnutrition)/100] x Ration quantity (per sachet) x days of planned
distribution/100000= total MT TFP food required.
Blanket SFPs: Depends on vulnerable groups being targeted
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
Calculation of facilities
Max. capacity depends on: staff levels & skills.
•TFP = 1 for every 60-100 malnourished children
•Wet SFP = 1 for every 250 malnourished children
•Dry SFP = 150-200 benef./day of distribution
• (750 -1000 children/week)
Construction & location: Should be near health facility
using tents or local materials. There should also be
adequate safe water supply within the location.
Dept. of Food Technology and
Nutrition Science
CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION & MANAGEMENT OF FOOD
AID
•Security
•(Political) –Government clearance for areas controlled by rebel
movements
•Weather affecting accessibility of affected populations
•Adequate capacity (planning, staffing, structure, systems, procedures,
guidelines, information flow, communication, decision-making and
administrative support)
•Availability of the right resources at the right time.
•Allocation of food aid for GFD Vs restoring livelihoods and asset creation
