Synthesis Report of the Evaluation Series on the Impact of Food for Assets 2002-2011 and Lessons for Building Livelihoods Resilience

The report synthesises the main findings from evaluations in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Nepal, Senegal and Uganda that assessed the impact of WFP's food for assets activities and identified lessons on how to improve FFA for livelihood resilience. The evaluations found that WFP provided important food and employment to people in underserved communities during periods of conflict and natural disaster and built useful assets in the process. Overall impacts were seen in many areas related to resilience including livelihoods, income-generating opportunities, land productivity and social cohesion. Improvements in longer term food security were limited. Impacts on women were significant. The report recommends that food for assets activities be brought into line with current policy and guidance; adequate funding be secured corporately at least for the transition; strategic planning in country offices position food for assets as a resilience and disaster risk reduction measure; WFP strengthen its efforts to provide guidance and support to regional bureau and country offices; two studies be undertaken on food security and gender dynamics; and monitoring systems be revised for better outcome monitoring.