Module 1 - Background on Food Distribution Pg. 10

1st DRAFT

FOOD DISTRIBUTION GUIDELINES

OHA, December 4th, 2002

Table of Contents

Acronyms

Introduction

Module 1 - Background on Food Distribution pg. 10

1.What are the guiding principles on Food Distribution?

1.1. What is the Principle of safe and unhindered access to people?

1.2. What are WFP Guiding Principles on Food Distribution?

2. What are the steps towards implementing a principled approach?

2.1 Analyse the situation

2.2 Develop agreement with the local parties

2.3 Identify the most appropriate food distribution system

2.4 Identify the risk of abuse at each stage of the distribution process

3. What are the strategies to minimize problems to a principled distribution?

Module 2 – Registration pg. 16

1. What is registration and why registering?

2. Planning the registration

2.1 How to estimate population numbers?

2.2 Choosing the registration system

2.2.1 The on-going registration

2.2.2 On-off registration

2.3 Staffing issues

2.4 Involving beneficiaries

2.5 Time and venue

2.6 Preparing logistics and equipment

3. Implementing a registration

3.1 Conducting the initial registration

3.2 Registering

3.2.1 Overall considerations

3.2.2 Collecting the information for the beneficiary list

3.3 Special registration concerns

3.3.1 Nomadic populations

3.3.2 Registration conducted by governments and/or local authorities

3.3.3 Registration conducted by local leaders

3.4 Entering data

3.5 Issuing ration cards

3.6 Verifying population numbers

4. Who is usually involved in a registration?

Module 3 – Targeted food distributionspg. 26

1. Why targeted distributions?

2. What are the different types of targeted programmes?

2.1 Food for work

2.1.1 Which is the food distribution modalities used in FFW projects?

2.1.2 What is the distribution system which FFW uses?

2.1.3 What are the distribution processes for FFW?

2.1.4 General considerations

2.2. School Feeding

2.3 Vulnerable group feeding and/or Supplementary feeding

2.4 Therapeutic feeding and caretaker support

2.5 Childcare, education, health and other social services

Module 4 - Food Distribution Systems and modalitiespg. 32

1. What are the four Food Distribution systems?

1.1.Distribution direct to households or individuals

1.2 Distribution through a group of households

1.3 Distribution through traditional Leaders

1.4 Distribution through news leadership or the Community based targeted

distribution

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the four distribution systems?

3. What are the three distribution modalities?

3.1 Distribution through a government

3.2 Distribution through local or international NGO

3.3 WFP direct distribution

Module 5 - How to set up a Food Distribution?pg. 41

1.What are the factors to weight in when determining the number of distribution sites to establish?

2.What are the factors to assess when selecting a distribution site?

2.1 General Considerations

2.2 Gender Considerations

2.3 Access for beneficiaries

2.4 Logistical considerations

3. What are the factors to consider when laying out a distribution site?

3.1 At the onset of an emergency

3.2 When the emergency has stabilized

4. What factors need to be taken into account when deciding on the food distribution

frequency intervals?

5. What are the different modalities to measure food rations during a distribution and

what is the equipment required?

5.1 What is distribution by volume?

5.1.1 Special considerations

5.1.2 How to use the scoops?

5.1.3What can be the negative results of under and over scooping?

5.1.4 How a beneficiary may complain if s/he feels that there has been

unfair scooping?

5.2 What is distribution by weight?

5.2.1 How to use the weighing scales?

5.2.2 What to do when the commodities bags do not weigh their full

weight?

5.3 What are the advantages and disadvantages of scooping and weighing?

Module 6 - How to involve beneficiaries in a Food Distribution?pg. 51

1. Why beneficiary participation is important?
2. How to involve beneficiaries in the planning and actual distribution?
3. How can you increase women’s participation in a food distribution?
4. How to keep beneficiaries well informed?

4.1 Prior a distribution

4.2 During a distribution

Module 7 – Staffing issues for a food distributionpg. 57

1. General staffing issues
2. What are the types of tasks required to register a caseload?

2.1 What should the registration team compose of?

2.2 Where to find the staff needed to make up the registration team?

2.3 Factors to consider when you make up your registration team

1. What is the job descriptions required to implement a distribution?

3.1The list of Generic Job Profile

3.2Additional daily tasks that may be required in view of a food distribution

1. What are the tasks required for a Community Based Targeted Distribution?
2. What about staff payments and incentives?

Module 8 - How to ensure a secure food distribution?pg. 63

1. Who has the responsibility of security during a food distribution?

.1.1.The government

.1.2. WFP

1. What are the crowd control and safety measures you can take to ensure a secure food distribution?
2. What is the preparation plans for staff in case of insecurity?

Module 9 - How to implement a distribution?pg. 67

1. Activities to remember prior a distribution

.1.1. Prior distribution – The check list

.1.2. What to do if the commodities requested do not arrive on time?

1. What are the supporting distribution documents?

2.1 Log book

2.2 Tally sheet

2.3 Muster roll

2.4 Receipt sheet

1. What are the basic distribution implementation steps?
2. What are the specific distribution systems?

.4.1 Distribution direct to Individual - dry rations using the ration shop system

.4.2 Distribution of individual cooked meals - using a feeding center

.4.3 Distribution through local leaders - without an agency presence

.4.4 Community based targeted distribution

.5. What needs to be done when distribution is over?

Module 10 - How to Monitor a Food Distribution?pg. 73

1. What are the different types and levels of monitoring?

1. What is monitoring
2. What are the minimum information requirements?
3. How to prepare and conduct a food distribution monitoring?

2.1.Who should conduct the monitoring?

2.2. What are the steps involve in monitoring a food distribution?

Module 11 What are the working agreements between WFP pg. 79

and its partners?

1. Who are the actors and who should be in charge of a distribution?
2. Relations with governments, military and non-state actors
3. Relations with United Nations Agencies
4. Relation with UNHCR

3.2. Relation with UNICEF

1. Relations with Implementing Partners

4.1 What is the content of the latest NGO/WFP Agreement?

4.2 What are the selection criteria for an NGO?

1. Relations with ICRC

Module 12 – Commodity Managementpg. 84

1. What is the commodity management process from hand-over point to the distribution site?

1.1.Food is offloaded, recorded, accounted for and stacked

1.2.Food is sent off to be distributed

1.2.1 Food distribution needs

1.2.2 Food release note

1.2.3 Distribution plan

1.2.4 Storage release note

2. How to pre-position food commodities

2.1 How to pre-position food commodities

2.2What are the distribution and post distribution activities in regard to

commodity management?

.3. Distribution reporting

3.1.Reporting on food distribution

3.2. COMPAS – a tool to track commodities

4. What is WFP policy on the use and sale of containers left over from a distribution?

1. Annexespg. 90

13.1 Standards of accountability

13.2 Distribution Framework

13.3 Registration site layout

13.4 Registration token (or fixing token)

13.5 Registration list (or beneficiaries list) – landscape format so it stands alone.

13.6 Ration card format

13.7 WFP experiences in registration processes

13.8 Community Based Targeted Distribution System schema

13.9 Distribution site layout

13.10 Gender table – How to increase women’s participation

13.11 Information poster

13.12 Additional specific daily tasks for WFP staff

13.13 Security phases

13.14 Log book

13.15 Tally Sheet

13.16 On-site monitoring format

13.17 Food basket monitoring

13.18 End use monitoring

13.19 Market survey

13.20 Field monitor report

13.21 Monthly consolidated monitoring report

13.22 How to sample

13.23 Commodity Management forms

1. Bibliography

15. List of people interviewed, NGOs, and other partners such as UNHCR etc.

ACRONYMS

CBTDCommunity Based Targeted Distribution

COCountry Office

EBExecutive Board

EMOPEmergency Operations

ENAEmergency Needs Assessment

FBMFood basket monitoring

FDCFood Distribution Committees

FFWFood for work

GJPGeneric Job Profile

HHHousehold

HHHHead of household

HRHuman resources

ICRCInternational Committee of the Red Cross

IDP(s)Internally displaced person(s)

IPImplementing partners

JFAMJoint (WFP-UNHCR) food assessment mission

NFINon food items

NGONon governmental organisation

MCHMother and child health

MOU memorandum of understanding

OHAOffice of the Humanitarian Advisor at WFP

UNHCRHigh Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEFUnited Nations Children’s Fund

PDMProject design manual (it will be signalled in italic throughout

the document)

PDM`Post distribution monitoring

PRROProtracted and Recovery Relief Operations

SFPSupplementary feeding programmes

TFPTherapeutic feeding programmes

VDCVillage Distribution Committees

WFPWorld Food Programme

WFPGOWorld Food Programme Internal Web site

Introduction

1. Why Food Distribution Guidelines?

In recent years, direct distributions by WFP have been increasing. This fact may be due sometimes to lack of reliable, willing partners, or simply because no one else can access a certain area, sometimes also, in an effort to increase efficiency and/or control of the process. WFP’s involvement in directly management of general relief distributions in southern Sudan, Somalia, Angola, Sierra Leone and many other countries reflects this trend.

This evolution led to the formulation of a number of management recommendations emphasizing the need for WFP to review its experience, approaches and practical methodologies for distribution.

In addition, most current distribution guidelines that are readily available to WFP staff are based on methods developed for refugee (camp) populations and may not be adapted for other contexts, notably dispersed rural populations, urban populations and situations of conflict. In the light of this, OHA has been asked to draw up WFP Guidelines on General as well as targeted food distribution interventions.

These Guidelines will become part of the standardized WFP approach in terms of food distribution once this draft has been revised and approved by WFP Management. It is WFP’s wish that partners (governments, NGOs etc.) use and refer to it when implementing a distribution.

WFP’s Food Distribution Guidelines are also seen as a capacity-builder for the organization’s partners as well as a medium to initiate discussion on several points which have been raised in this document (see attached document on Points of Contentions). The goal being to implement fair, accountable and well co-ordinated food distributions.

2. From general distributions to targeted distributions

Throughout the years, WFP has been involved in diverse types of food distribution interventions. In emergency situations, general food distribution is usually carried out only when a whole population or a large part of it is cut off from its normal sources of food.

General food distributions in emergencies may be supplemented, if need be, by nutritionally targeted interventions such as the Supplementary and Therapeutic Feeding Programmes. Their aim is to provide nutritional support for moderately malnourished and to save lives respectively. School Feeding programmes are also being implemented during emergencies.

Food for Work (FFW) is often the “next logical step” which allows WFP to gradually phase out general food distributions. FFW projects will provide an opportunity for the affected populations, to get “paid for work”. Food for recovery (usually implemented after a disaster) also provides a daily remuneration for a specific task.

In the continuum from emergency to development, once the situation has reached a stable situation, WFP promotes growth and improve nutrition through targeted distribution interventions such as the School Feeding; the vulnerable group feeding through MCH clinics and other social service institutions.

3. What are the goals these Guidelines try to achieve?

3.1 The Guidelines Scope are to:

• Provide practical guidance for WFP field staff that plan, set up, run a food distribution operation.

• Complement the already existing Guidelines on overall Emergency and Development Guidelines found in the Programme Design Manual (PDM), the Emergency Field Operations Pocketbook, the Emergency Tool Kit currently under preparation, the Food and Nutrition Handbook and the Project Design Manual found in the WFP web under WFPGo.

• Take account of the WFP Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines, the UNHCR/WFP Guidelines for selective feeding programmes in emergency situations, and the UNHCR Registration and Commodity Distribution Guidelines.

3.2 The Guidelines focus on:

• Being applicable to all projects.

• The actions to take once decisions on who needs assistance and what will be distributed have

been taken.

• Providing guidance on registration for non-refugee operations.

3.3The Guidelines do not cover:

• Matters related to needs assessment and targeting mechanisms

• The issue of phasing down/ out general food distribution (i.e. when the distributions should be initiated or closed down).

• Issues related to the planning of food rations.

• The management of the logistics chain up to the distribution site. Refer to the Transport Manual and the Warehouse Management Handbook (see WFPgo).

4. Guidelines are divided as follow

These Guidelines do not provide “ready-made recipes” as such, especially since ready-distribution interventions “mix” does not exist.

Each situation will call and require different intervention and needs. It will present new challenges to every of the Country Offices staff members, partners, beneficiaries involved.

Module 1Gives an overview of the humanitarian and WFP guiding principles on Food Distribution and how WFP can apply these in distribution.

Module 2Covers the Registration process. Caseload numbers have a particular importance to WFP’s distribution.

Module 3Addresses the specifics of the targeted programmes in which WFP is also

involved, namely the Supplementary and Therapeutic feeding programmes, School Feeding and Food for Work.

Module 4Indicates the main Food Distribution Systems for both general and targeted

distributions (distribute to individuals or to groups) and the modalities (through an NGO, the government or directly conducted by WFP. In addition advantages and disadvantages are presented for every system.

Module 5Provides the technical background in setting up of a food distribution (e.g.

from choosing a distribution lay out to setting up frequency intervals for food

distribution), once the distribution system identified has been agreed upon.

Module 6Indicates “how to” involve beneficiaries in a Food Distribution and how instrumental is women’s participation in designing a food distribution and mainstreams it to the new “WFP Enhanced Commitments for Women (2003-2007)”.

Module 7Introduces some staffing requirements issues.

Module 8Gives practical tips on ensuring a secure food distribution.

Module 9Shows the “how to” implement the food distribution (it relates to Module 4).

Module 10Suggest some monitoring practices (from commodities to the post-distribution) and monitoring forms and reporting formats.

Module 11Demonstrates the relationship links between the diverse actors in a food

distribution.

Module 12 Presents thecommodity management from the hand-over-point.

Throughout the document, figures, tables, flow charts, and matrixes are provided to the reader to facilitate the overall comprehension. They are found in Annex 13.

Module 1.

Guiding Principles

Objective

To describe the Guiding Principles on Food Distribution.

Introduction

This module describes WFP principles in food distribution. It also provides a checklist designed to help staff assess crucial issues prior to start planning a distribution

Why is this module important?

Prior to choose, plan and implement a registration and a food distribution, it is important to clarify what are the guiding principles upon which WFP should abide in the field although in some cases, circumstances may over-ride principles[1]. This module introduces a number of ethical points to take into consideration when one must implement a food distribution. It also gives an overview of the main problems / constraints (caused both by internal and external factors) encountered and how they can be minimized.

What does this module aim to achieve?

• To describe the international humanitarian law and the WFP guiding principles respectively
• To provide a check list of factors to assess prior to choose a distribution system.
• To describe the main constraints encountered in a food distribution and how to minimize them.

1. What are the Guiding Principles on Food Distribution?

The Humanitarian community at large provides assistance on the basis of assessed needs and defines the three basic principles as follows:

Humanity: For WFP it translates in intervening if lives or livelihoods are at risk.

Neutrality: Not taking sides in a conflict. For WFP, it translates in: providing aid solely to non-combatants; working with accountable institutions; ensuring independent supervision and minimizing taxation of relief supplies.

Impartiality: For WFP it translates in ensuring that distribution methods reach the most vulnerable; that assistance is distributed according to needs.

Of importance, there should be governing principles on the protection and provision of humanitarian assistance to war-affected civilian populations which should be translated in beneficiary to have the right to:

- know their food entitlements which can help people assert their rights;

-retain all the humanitarian assistance they were intended to receive;

-monitoring and evaluation is to permitted to prevent diversion of aid, looting etc.;

-Humanitarian action must respect and promote the human dignity of beneficiaries.

In addition, in annex 13.1, an example of Standards of Accountability to the community and the beneficiaries for all humanitarian and development workers.[2]

1.1. What is the Principle of safe and unhindered access to people?

The need for safe and unhindered access to people affected by natural disasters and complex emergencies is one of the fundamental principles of humanitarian action[3]. These principles are essential for WFP work in terms of effectiveness and timeliness of distribution and monitoring activities.

At the request of the host government or the UN Secretary-General, WFP has an obligation to try to meet emergency food needs of victims and alleviate hunger. When there is no Humanitarian Coordinator and/or when food insecurity is at the heart of the crisis, WFP may play a more direct role in negotiating and securing access for the provision of food assistance. In fact, WFP often takes an operational lead (as recognized b IASC).[4]

WFP has specific needs due to the nature of its work. The following concerns need to take in consideration, from the outset, in any negotiation process:

• It requires regular, timely and continuous access as food assistance deliveries take place on a regular basis whereas non-food items are often delivered on an ad-hoc or one-off basis.

• WFP has additional security concerns as food represents power and leverage; it is a very sensitive, often political form of aid and is often used as a “weapon of war”; food deliveries and distribution in some cases can attract more insecurity.

1.2 What are WFP Guiding Principles on Food Distribution?