The World Food Programme's long experience in humanitarian and development contexts has positioned the organization well to support resilience building in order to improve food security and nutrition. WFP helps the most vulnerable people strengthen their capacities to absorb, adapt, and transform in the face of shocks and long-term stressors.

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In order to respond to emergencies quickly, efficiently and effectively, the World Food Programme uses ground-breaking technology to help forecast emergencies and direct assistance to where it is most needed. Through our global networks, we develop quality emergency programmes that help us plan ahead, pre-position supplies, and minimise the time needed to deliver life-saving food assistance.

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During emergencies, humanitarian response organizations coordinate their activities through clusters, which are groups arranged by sector and led by one or more agencies. The World Food Programme leads the Logistics and Emergency Telecommunications clusters and co-leads the Food Security cluster. WFP also provides the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service and the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depots for use by the humanitarian community.

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The World Food Programme distributes food in areas where it is scarce. In places where food is available but unaffordable, we give vulnerable people cash or vouchers to buy nutritious ingredients. These cash-based transfers give people more choice, protect them from financial exploitation, and support the local economy.

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National governments are increasingly taking the lead in the fight against hunger. The World Food Programme offers a wide range of capacity development and technical assistance services to facilitate the design, and delivery of sustainable national solutions to combat hunger and malnutrition.

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The World Food Programme supports governments of developing countries in their efforts to achieve Zero Hunger by facilitating the transfer of knowledge, skills, resources and technical know-how, as well as through policy, advocacy and regional collective action, to strengthen national capacities. WFP’s Centres of Excellence in Brazil and China are among WFP’s key mechanisms for South-South cooperation.

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Smallholder farmers are highly vulnerable to hunger. The World Food Programme collaborates with national governments to help forge sustainable food systems more inclusive of smallholder farmers along the value chain. This includes buying their produce for WFP programmes, introducing them to formal markets, and enabling access to skills, knowledge and infrastructure to develop their livelihoods and make them more resilient to risks.

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Climate change is increasing the frequency of climate-related disasters, creating greater risks of hunger and the breakdown of food systems. The World Food Programme is working with governments, international partners, researchers and local communities to analyse and understand the impacts of climate change. Through programmes, innovations, policy and technical support we are helping those most at risk to become climate resilient and food secure.

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More than 80 percent of the world’s food-insecure people live in countries prone to natural hazards. Disasters disrupt agricultural production and livelihoods, driving poverty and hunger. The World Food Programme works with governments and communities to reduce the impacts of disasters on their food security through resilience building, strengthening the capacities of social safety nets, emergency preparedness, analyses and early warning systems.

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A sustainable zero hunger world can only be achieved if women, men, girls and boys enjoy equal access to food and nutrition, resources, rights and opportunities. The World Food Programme promotes gender equality through leveraging our food assistance to bridge the gender gap. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are a key aspect of WFP's operations. Our work with school meals, smallholder farmers, health, nutrition and protection programmes boosts access to food and livelihoods.

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Chronic malnutrition has profound, long-term effects on health and life prospects. The World Food Programme works with governments and partners to help vulnerable groups, such as women, children, and people receiving treatment for HIV and tuberculosis, access nutritious diets. Our programmes include distributing Specialized Nutritious Foods, fortifying staples, designing and implementing school feeding, and enabling dietary diversification.

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National social protection systems can protect citizens from stressors and shocks but, due to inadequate coverage in many developing countries, the poorest remain vulnerable to hunger and poverty. The World Food Programme supports national governments in the design and delivery of nutrition-sensitive social protection programmes and safety nets, such as school feeding programmes, to improve coverage and cost-effectiveness.

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About 80 percent of the world’s poorest and hungriest people live in fragile and degraded environments, prone to recurrent natural disasters. The World Food Programme’s asset creation programmes give vulnerable communities food or cash-based transfers while they build or restore assets that will increase their resilience, enabling them to become food-secure in the long-term.

Learn more about sustainable livelihoods and ecosystems