WFP Contribution to Market Development and Food Systems in Southern Africa: Thematic Evaluation

With close to 60 years of experience in delivering food assistance to the most remote and difficulty places in the world, WFP has extensive expertise in optimizing supply chains to ensure food reaches the most in need. Whether complexities are due to natural conditions (mountainous and difficult places to reach e.g. Lesotho] or conflict areas with access and security issues (e.g. DR Congo), WFP supply chain expertise enables the agency to get assistance where it is needed. When this expertise is applied to strengthening local markets and food systems to enable provision of food assistance through Cash-Based Transfers (CBT) or to strengthening capacities of national institutions and infrastructure, there is potential for WFP to not only meet food and nutrition needs of targeted people, but also contribute to development of local markets and economies and supporting governments to strengthen national food systems as well as social protection systems. However, in some of the areas where WFP implements food assistance interventions, the markets are usually weak and fragmented. In this regard, one of WFP Supply Chain’s vision is to help create sustainable markets required to achieve zero hunger by removing market inefficiencies to improve Price, Quality & Service. Working with market actors and implementing market development and systems strengthening activities provides an opportunity for WFP to contribute to development of local economies while achieving its primary objective of providing food assistance to vulnerable populations.