Emergency Preparedness Planning Guidelines

FOOD SECURITY CLUSTER

Emergency Preparedness Planning Guidelines

Draft

February 2013

Table of Contents

I. Background

II. Rationale

III. Methodology

IV. Process

1.Risk Assessment

2.Minimum Preparedness Actions

3.Cluster specific Contingency Preparedness/Response Planning

4.Standard Operating Procedures

ANNEX A: Minimum Preparedness Actions

1.Coordination and Continuity of Operations

2.Assessment and Targeting

3.Food Security Response Planning and Monitoring

4.Procurement and Logistics

5.Capacity Building and Training

ANNEX B: FSC Contingency Response Plan template

1.Planning Assumptions

2.Food Security Cluster Response Strategy

3.Coordination and Information Management

4.Anticipated Resource Requirements

ANNEX C: Standard Operating Procedures

I.Background

The Cluster Approach was adopted by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) as a strategy to address gaps in humanitarian response. It is a component of the 2005 Humanitarian Response review and ongoing reform initiative for improved efficiency, increased predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies.

The Global Food Security Cluster (gFSC), co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) was established in 2011. The gFSC provides support to national level clusters regarding specific food security activities such as food assistance, agricultural input support, livelihood-centered interventions and preservation and restoration of agricultural assets. A multi-institutional Global Support Team (GST) is located in Rome and can be considered the secretariat of the gFSC.

Globally, the Food Security Cluster has been activated in XXX countries. It provides an action-oriented forum that brings together national and international humanitarian partners in support of national efforts to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance. In particular, it helps to ensure coherent, coordinated and integrated evidence-based humanitarian responses in case of any major emergency.

II.Rationale

These Emergency Preparedness Planning Guidelines detail preparedness and response actions enabling the Food Security Cluster (FSC) at the country level to adequately and effectively respond tothe food security needs of a population affected by natural or man-made disasters. It is based on and intimately linked to the country’s Inter-Agency Preparedness Planning process.

Food Security Emergency Preparedness Planningaims:

To create a common understanding among cluster members of disaster risks and their potential impact on the food security situation of vulnerable populations;
To put in place preparedness measures to enable the FSC to carry out its responsibilities in a rapid, appropriate and effective manner in the event of a large-scale emergency;
Guide and provide a coherent standardized approach for the drafting of an initial preparedness response plan and/or structure its response in the immediate aftermath of an emergency; and
To detail out Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that can be followed by the Cluster in the event of an emergency. The SOPs highlight key stages, accountability and effectiveness measures.

III.Methodology

The Food Security Cluster Preparedness Planning supportsthe new Emergency Response Preparedness Approach developed at Inter-Agency level as part of the revision of the Inter-Agency Contingency Planning Guidelines. This new methodology has four components:

The development of a common risk profile for the country which all actors and clusters agree upon:
The implementation of FSCrelated Minimum Preparedness Actions:
A FSC specific Contingency Preparedness Plan that is developed once a risk becomes imminent and feeds into the Inter-Agency Contingency Response Plan;
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering FSC actions in the immediate aftermath of an emergency (from the first 72 hours to the first couple of weeks).

IV. Process

1.Risk Assessment

The Food Security Cluster Risk Assessment is based on the risks identified at Inter-Agency (IA) level through the Preparedness Planning Process. It aims at creating a common understanding among cluster members of disaster risks in the country and their potential impact on the food security situation of vulnerable populations.

At the Risk Assessment stage, cluster members are to discuss the risks identified in terms of relevance and anticipated impact both on the food security situation of vulnerable populations and on the Cluster itself. The following questions will help guide the discussion:

-What are the most serious risks identified at IA level? Are all Cluster members aware of these risks?

-What would be the consequences of the eventuation of each of these risks on the food security of vulnerable populations?

-What would be the consequences of the eventuation of each of these risks on the Food Security Cluster and its members (e.g. would members be affected themselves? Would they still be able to provide assistance? To what extent?

-Are there any risks exclusiveto the Food Security Cluster that need to be addressed?

-Are specific indicators and thresholds identified for each of the risks in order to monitor their evolution and provide advance notice on when to enhance specific preparedness measures?

2.Minimum Preparedness Actions

The Preparedness actions cover5 major operational areas:

a)Coordination and Continuity of Operations

b)Assessment and Targeting

c)Food Security Response Planning and Monitoring

d)Procurement and Logistics

e)Capacity Building and Training

In the 5 areas, concrete and practical preparedness actions have been identified that will enable the Cluster to respond effectively and efficiently to a large scale-emergency. For each action, a lead responsible for itsimplementation has to be identified and a clear timeframe for its accomplishment has to be set. The complete list of Minimum Preparedness Actions can be found in Annex A.

3.Cluster specific Contingency Preparedness Plan

The Cluster specific Contingency Preparedness Plan is developed to complement the Inter-Agency Contingency Response Plan once a risk is anticipated as imminent. The Cluster specific Contingency PreparednessPlan will identify priority early actions required to strengthen the cluster’s readiness and mitigate the impact of the anticipated risk. To ensure an effective cluster response,the Cluster specific Contingency Preparedness plan should be developed in a way that it can be readily and seamlessly transformed into a Response Plan when the emergency hits. Please refer to Annex B for a template for the FSC Contingency PreparednessPlan.[1]

4.Standard Operating Procedures

In addition to the preparedness actions, the Cluster has also identified Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. These SOPs range from the first 72 hours to the first couple of weeks. The complete list of SOPs can be found in Annex C.

ANNEX A: Minimum Preparedness Actions

1.Coordination and Continuity of Operations

This section identifies preparedness actions that allow the Cluster to operate efficiently and effectively in case of an emergency as per its mandate. This includes having clear and effective coordination structures in place as well as procedures to be able to organize and host Cluster meetings.

Coordination/Continuity of Operations
No. / Preparedness Actions (PAs) / Status / Due date/
Timeframe / Lead / Resource Requirement
(US$) / Comments
Done / Deadline set / To be initiated
1 / Develop detailedTORs for the Cluster.
2 / Create an emergency folder with copies of all relevant documents indicated in these checklists for the Cluster and distribute to the Cluster members for easy reference in case of emergencies.
3 / Compile a list of Cluster members including the following information:

Contacts of organizations
FP and alternate
Area of current intervention
Area of possible intervention during the emergency
Current capacity and beneficiaries
Potential capacity during the emergency (including number of beneficiaries)

4 / Compile a list of the government counterparts at the national and local level. Identify the government strategy for emergency response, such as:

If the government intends to lead the implementation or leave implementation to partners and
in case, the government would like to implement itself, identify the area of potential intervention, number of beneficiaries, etc.

5 / Clearly define the Cluster’s operational structure in the case of an emergency. Identify the key roles and tasks to ensure delivery of objectives. Such tasks will include: Coordinated planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting, information management, and media relations. Specific roles and tasks should be allocated to Cluster Coordinator, government and other agencies.
6 / Ensure the availability of relevant maps, lists and base line data to all cluster members:

Maps of population profile, depicting cluster relevant information as per above displayed by area, such as area of work of cluster members and relevant partners, their available resources, etc. (often provided by OCHA). One map should show current areas of intervention, a second one those where the cluster members intend to intervene in case of emergency.

7 / Decide on a Cluster coordinator (and alternate) in case of emergency
8 / Revise the SOPs for the Cluster and ensure that all Cluster Members are aware of them
9 / Ensure that cluster coordination meetings are conducted at least (fortnightly, monthly, bi-monthly/quarterly). If feasible, invite and include government counterparts in these meetings.
10 / Identify a focal person to get familiar with CERF and Flash Appeal requests, templates and activation procedures for emergency funds.
11 / Decide on a primary and alternative location where the Cluster can meet during emergencies affecting actual location. Ensure that these locations are or can be easily and rapidly equipped with appropriate ICT equipment.
12 / Ensure that all cluster members are aware of the Sphere Standards, the Secretary General’s Bulletin on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), the Code of Conduct, humanitarian law, humanitarian principles, the IASC Principals’ Commitments on Accountability to Affected Populations (CAAP), relevant GA resolutions and other key instruments related to the humanitarian framework.
13 / Ensure that the Cluster is briefed and aware of preparedness and response strategies in other clusters (e.g. potential settlement sites agreed upon by Shelter and CCM cluster). Contribute as much as possible to inter-cluster coordination by sharing information on stock piles and other preparedness activities with other clusters. Specially liaise with other Clusters to ensure:

All clusters are aware of each other’s roles and responsibilities
MOUs with other key Clusters where appropriate (e.g. nutrition for supplementary feeding, etc.)

14 / Ensure that all Cluster members are aware of the respective Government coordination structures for emergency response.
15 / Encourage Cluster Members to create and/or update Business Continuity Plans for their respective organization. If requested, provide assistance.
16 / Establish a proper and functioning communication system (organogram – communication dissemination tree, mail list) within the Cluster, at inter-cluster level and with the government to ensure the timely flow of information during an emergency.
17 / Define roles and responsibilities for the different phases of intervention (initial response, relief and recovery phase).

Assessment and Targeting
No. / Preparedness Actions (PAs) / Status / Due date/
Timeframe / Lead / Resource Requirement
(US$) / Comments
Done / Deadline set / To be initiated
1 / Review available assessment tools for food security including food assistance, agriculture, fishery and livelihood.
2 / Based on the above, if necessary, develop a common rapid Cluster needs assessment tool and train Cluster members in IA (MIRA) and Cluster needs assessments.
3 / Create a roster of candidates to be trained and easily deployed for rapid IA and Cluster needs assessments in case of emergencies.
4 / Ensure that necessary equipment for conducting the assessment is available (calculators GPS, etc.).

2.Assessment and Targeting

This section includes preparedness actions to ensure that food-security related needs assessments are done in a coherent and coordinated manner in case of emergencies.

3.Food Security Response Planning and Monitoring

This section focuses on the development of a common response strategy for the Cluster in case of emergencies.The strategy is to examine the possibilities for different food security response options including food assistance, agriculture, fishery and others.

Food security response planning and monitoring
No. / Preparedness Actions (PAs) / Status / Due date/
Timeframe / Lead / Resource Requirement
(US$) / Comments
Done / Deadline set / To be initiated
1 / Establish a list of culturally acceptable and nutritionally appropriate foods which can be stockpiled and/ or sourced at the onset of an emergency, with preference for local producers.
2 / Agree with Cluster Members on a potential food basket (based on SPHERE standards) with culturally acceptable foods to be distributed to beneficiaries in case of emergencies.
3 / Compile and monitor a list of potential suppliers.
4 / Map agriculture calendar, production, and capacity.
5 / Assess access to and storage capacity of food/nutritional items stocks of other FSC member agencies (e.g. UNICEF plumpy-nut, WFP, reserve stock from Gov.).
6 / Agree on a common food distribution report template to be used during emergencies
7 / Decide at inter-cluster level who will provide what, including food, tools and seeds as well as cooking material such as pots, shoves, plates, spoons, etc.
8 / Draft a standardized distribution card. Translate it into local languages, if applicable, and stockpile a sufficient number of hard-copies.
9 / Together with the nutrition cluster, pre-define rations and supplementary foods for vulnerable groups such as PLHIV, PwD, women, children, etc.
10 / Decide on the quantity and types of stocks to be stored for an emergency – for the first 7 day and 3 weeks, including NFI requirements, and potential fuel and water sources.
11 / Discuss mechanism for quality standard monitoring with potential standby suppliers in country.
12 / Identify a focal point and alternate within the Cluster for Inter-Agency Humanitarian funding mechanisms such as the CERF, CAP, Flash Appeal and – if existing in the country – ERF and HRF. Ensure that this focal point and its alternate are familiar with their procedures and templates and are able to provide cluster relevant inputs.

4.Procurement and Logistics

This section lays out the actions needed on the part of the FSC to ensure that food and other required inputs reach target populations in an emergency.

Procurement/Logistics
No. / Minimum Preparedness Actions (Pas) / Status / Due date/
Timeframe / Lead / Resource Requirement
(US$) / Comments
Done / Deadline set / To be initiated
1 / Identify food procurement sources at national and regional level. Encourage cluster members to make pre-arrangements for purchasing giving priority to local farmers.
2 / Identify national and private grain reserves, including their capacity.
3 / Get in contact with the military/army to assess possibilities for coordination for distributions.
4 / Monitor the main procurement prices of the main commodities on list.
5 / Compile a list of the Logistics Cluster Focal Points. Ensure Cluster members are aware of procedures and regulations for requesting Logistics Cluster support (e.g. familiarity on how to fill out the “Cargo Movement Request”, etc.)
Capacity Building/Training
No. / Minimum Preparedness Actions (PAs) / Status / Due date/
Timeframe / Lead / Resource Requirement
(US$) / Comments
Done / Deadline set / To be initiated
1 / Identify needs and opportunities for training and capacity building for cluster members and government counterparts on emergency preparedness and response.
2 / Ensure (through trainings and awareness work-shops) that Cluster members are aware of cross-cutting issues such as such as GBSV, HIV/AIDS, protection, etc. in emergency settings.
3 / Conduct simulation exercises within the Inter-Agency forum or for the cluster, if applicable and feasible.
4 / Conduct trainings for Cluster members in Sphere standards, Code of Conduct,SG’s Bulletin on SEA, humanitarian law, humanitarian principles, the IASC Principals’ Commitments on Accountability to Affected Populations (CAAP), relevant GA resolutions and other key instruments related to the humanitarian framework.
5 / If necessary, provide trainings on inter-agency humanitarian funding mechanisms such as the CERF, CAP, Flash Appeal and – if existing in the country – ERF and HRF and their application procedures.

5.Capacity Building and Training

This section focuses on capacity building and training for the FSC to effectively support affected populations in disaster situations.

ANNEX B: FSC Contingency Preparedness Plan template

1.Context

Please give a concise overview of the current food security situation in the country and describe the imminent risk this plan is for. Unless the imminent risk is specific to the Food Security Cluster, the information should be based on the risked agreed to at the IA level.

2.Planning Assumptions

Please specify the potential impact of the emergency on people’s food security, potential number of people requiring food assistance, area of intervention, etc.

3.Food Security Cluster Response Strategy

Objectives

Establish clear objectives for planned interventions with regards to food assistance stated in terms of results for affected populations.

Types of assessments and interventions (programmes)

-Outline the types of assessment concerning food security that would need to be carried out once the risk eventuates.

-Outline the types (and, if feasible, scope) of interventions (programmes) targeting food security that are most suitable to respond to the anticipated crisis.

-Define clear roles and responsibilities in regard to these interventions.

4.Coordination and Information Management

-Establish clear coordination (schedules, meeting points, etc.) and information management arrangements (chain of command, schedule for IM products distribution, etc.) within the Food Security Cluster.

-Establish coordination and information management arrangements with related Clusters (e.g. Nutrition, Logistics), if applicable.

5.Anticipated Resource Requirements

Please specify the anticipated resource requirements for the planned interventions outlined above.

ANNEX C:Standard Operating Procedures

The following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) guide the Cluster in its initial emergency response. The table below details the major activity steps during the first 72 hours to the first couple of weeks from the onset of the emergency.

Food Security Cluster
No. / Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) / Status / Lead / Comments
Done / To be initiated
Within First 24-72 Hours / 1 / Participate in all inter-cluster coordination meetings (IASC, government, etc.) and brief Cluster members on Inter-Cluster arrangements such as (National) Emergency Operations Centre, overall coordination arrangements, etc.
2 / Get in touch with the focal point(s) in the government for food security to better understand the humanitarian impact of the emergency on food security and the national strategy and response capability.
3 / Call for a Cluster meeting. If feasible, invite government counterparts to attend the meeting. Main issues to be discussed:

Reach a preliminary common agreement on case-load based upon raw data.
Review and mobilize available food resources and stocks of Cluster members.
Review potential purchasing arrangements.
Detail and review initial plans of cluster members for assistance.
Decide hierarchy of vulnerability for prioritization of food distribution if feasible.
Agree upon roles within Cluster and assign to members.
Agree who distributes what, where and to whom.
Agree on a coordinated preliminary initial response plan for distribution (rice and other available foods or Ready-to-eat foods), including a monitoring and reporting system.

Identify needs of partners to ask for specific support services (ICT, Logistics, etc.)
Set a schedule for further cluster meetings. Notify all Cluster members including those we were not able to attend the first meeting about meeting arrangements.

4 / Dispatch a Cluster assessment team or participate in multi-cluster Initial Assessment teams or government multi-sectoral assessment teams by deploying technical experts. The Cluster should agree on who will conduct rapid assessment in different areas and who will participate in joint assessments using the pre-agreed MIRA check-list.
5 / Compile, analyze and verify the incoming data. Reach a common agreement on the case load, including special categories of beneficiaries such as People living with HIV and AIDS, People with disabilities, children, pregnant and lactating women, etc. After that, disseminate agreed data to Cluster members, OCHA and, if feasible, the government.
6 / Review available food resources and food and agricultural stocks of Cluster partners and suppliers.
7 / Based on the initial rapid assessment, revise the initial Cluster response planand distribution plan (who does what, where are the distribution points, what are the rations, etc.)
8 / Ensure adequate staffing for the Cluster Secretariat including:

Agreeing upon staff secondment or task allocation from member agencies for respective roles.
Getting in contact with the Food Security Cluster Cell in Rome and ask for surge capacity in regard to Cluster coordination and secretariat, if required.

9 / Identify needs of partners to ask for specific support services (ICT, Logistics, etc.)
Within First Week / 10 / Assess the security situation at the distribution point and ensure protection for beneficiaries. Liaise with military and security forces, if necessary.
11 / In case a Flash Appeal or CERF request is being launched, prepare a proposal for the cluster, indicating specific needs, priority projects and requirements.
12 / Establish a cluster Operation Centre if applicable.
13 / Discuss with UNICEF, WHO, ICRC, etc. on distribution modality for institution feeding (pre-agreement, clearance, rations, responsibility for hospitals, jails, schools, and orphanage).
14 / Produce sit-reps and feed information through appropriate channels as required.
15 / Implement an information management system – including 3W (who does what where).
16 / Ensure donor commitment.
After the first week / 17 / Carry out need assessment in agriculture sector and assess major areas for intervention including early recovery needs.
18 / Conduct a detailed market analysis and revise response and early recovery strategy accordingly.
19 / Revise monitoring and reporting arrangements and, if necessary adopt strategy.
20 / Develop a hand over strategy.