Relief refers to the provision of assistance to save lives in the immediate wake of a disaster. This includes search and rescue, evacuation, distribution of food and water, temporary provision of sanitation, health care and shelter, and the restoration of immediate personal security. FAO is a major stakeholder in food relief, as emergency food requirements are usually determined during joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions (CFSAMs).1 FAO's Director-General approves WFP Emergency Operations for food assistance jointly with the Executive Director of WFP in all situations where the food value exceeds US$ 3 million.
While FAO's in relief food assistance is important, the main focus of this booklet is on `agricultural relief'. Often described as "agricultural rehabilitation assistance provided on an emergency basis", it includes the mobilisation of funds, as well as the formulation, technical clearance, implementation and evaluation of emergency agriculture projects. Agricultural relief is aimed at rapidly reducing dependence on emergency food assistance and providing a basis for longer-term rehabilitation. This assistance covers the provision of agricultural essential inputs such as seeds, tools, fertilisers and livestock and veterinary supplies, to enable affected populations to resume basic productive activities quickly - in time for the next agricultural season where possible.
Agricultural relief is not limited to the supply of agricultural inputs. Special agricultural relief operations also include the provision of services and technical advice which are not available from other United Nations agencies or from non-governmental organizations. FAO gives specific attention to the food security constraints of at-risk households in the affected areas in its relief interventions. It also provides information to affected households enabling them to make informed choices regarding food acquisition, preparation and distribution in unfamiliar situations.
Relief: What FAO does
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FAO is a major stakeholder in the provision of emergency food relief. It participates in joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions (CFSAMs: see Phase Four - Impact and Immediate Needs Assessment) which are critical tools needed for determining what emergency food assistance is required and to whom it must be targeted. Secondly, the FAO Director-General approves WFP Emergency Operations for food assistance jointly with the Executive Director of WFP in situations where the food value exceeds US$ 3 million. For the two-year period 1999 -2000, the total cost of jointly approved emergency operations was more than US$ 2 billion, with food cost amounting to US $ 865 million. Thirdly, following initial early warning and subsequent impact and needs assessment, GIEWS continues to monitor emergency situations to keep the international community informed of developments which have a bearing on food security, nutrition and agriculture through its regular and ad hoc reporting system.
Relief monitoring covers information on the general progress of agricultural relief operation especially those administered by FAO. It tracks the availability, pledges and deliveries of food assistance and the number and continuing needs of beneficiaries of emergency food assistance and other affected groups. Ongoing agricultural developments in the affected country, particularly those in the disaster area, are closely followed and implications for a possible deepening or alleviation of the emergency analysed. Quality and safety issues related to relief foods (see Phase Four - Impact and Immediate Needs Assessment) may arise during relief operations. In this case, ESN fields enquiries from recipient governments or provides technical assistance and training in quality control to national authorities with responsibilities in this area.
TCOR is responsible for mounting emergency `agricultural relief' operations to provide essential inputs and other requisites to enable agricultural production to resume quickly. The basic types of assistance provided in TCOR agricultural relief projects include the following:
Emergency relief and rehabilitation projects implemented by TCOR are financed by contributions from governmental and non-governmental agencies, by UN agencies and by FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP). TCOR itself has no Regular Programme funding and covers its operating costs by means of a 5 percent levy on the projects it implements.
TCOR has established direct relationships with donors for the purpose of mobilizing funds for its projects, but can call upon FAO's Unit for Cooperation with Multilateral and Bilateral Agencies (TCDM) and Unit for Cooperation with the Private Sector and NGOs (TCDN) for assistance in this process.
Once a donor has responded positively to a TCOR project profile and agrees to fund a specific activity, the preparation of a project document is set in motion. In order to avoid delays while document preparation is under way, a "letter of agreement" is signed between the donor and FAO which allows both formulation and implementation to proceed. This elaborates the objectives and, in outline form, the inputs and activities to be covered by the agreed funding, and usually makes reference to the OCHA Appeal within which the activities fall if appropriate, or the results of FAO agricultural needs assessment missions, including the project profile already communicated to the donor.
Many of the smaller projects are resourced through TCP funds administered by the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme Unit (TCDT). These account for roughly one-sixth of total TCOR projects by value. TCDT has special provisions and procedures for `emergency projects' (which include but are not limited to those implemented by TCOR), which enable the acceleration of the normal approval procedures. TCP-funded projects can last up to two years costing up to US$ 400 000, though the average is less than US$200 000. A maximum of 40 percent of total project funds can be used for international technical assistance. TCP regulations require the submission of a request for assistance by the affected government. In the case of complex emergencies where normal government functions are often suspended, an OCHA Inter-Agency Appeal suffices. TCP funds may be used to field an emergency coordinator in advance of project preparation and funding by a donor.
Project preparation is the responsibility of TCOR operations officers. However, relevant technical divisions participate in this exercise. Where appropriate, the document may be drafted by a TCOR-appointed consultant in the field, TCOR officers then oversee its finalization. Project documents are concise, generally about four or five pages in length and contain standardized sections on:
Project documents must be concise, given the need to prepare and clear them rapidly. They must have the necessary information required for technical clearance, as well as donor and government approval. The latter may require substantial consultation at field level to ensure that all government concerns are taken into consideration. Project documents also must contain implementation, monitoring, evaluation and follow-up plans. Certain essential features which should be covered include:
Technical clearance is a vital aspect of project quality control. It ensures that projects benefit from the range of relevant expertise available within FAO and that agricultural requisites to be provided by the project are appropriate, effective, efficient and safe. Clearance is sought at three stages in the early life of a project.
In view of the hazards and complexities associated with pesticides' provision, it is particularly important that the involvement of pesticides in emergency operations be subject to careful assessment and clearance by AGPP in each of the above stages. All orders for pesticides to be procured by FAO, must be cleared by the Chief, AGPP. Procedures for pesticides' procurement are described below.
Once technically cleared, the TCOR project document is passed to the Office of the Director-General, and then presented to the government where it is signed by the Minister of the sectoral Ministry designated to implement the project (usually Agriculture) and by the FAOR on behalf of the Director-General.
Given its limited number of staff, TCOR relies heavily on international consultants who act as emergency coordinators in the field, both for implementation and monitoring. In areas or regions affected by complex emergencies, especially where there is no FAOR, emergency coordinators play an important role in coordinating overall agency responses to agricultural emergencies. They may be fielded in advance of project formulation by means of Regular Programme TCP funding. These coordinators are responsible for the overall coordination of the emergency assistance to the agriculture sector. Their Terms of Reference normally include:
Within FAO, overall responsibility for project implementation lies with the Operations Officers, who initiate and oversee the procurement process, and identify consultants as required in collaboration with the technical services.
The role of the FAOR in project management is pivotal, especially where there is no emergency coordinator. In addition to appointing national consultants, the FAOR obtains detailed specifications of inputs to be procured by FAO or others. It maintains a register of suppliers for agricultural inputs, assists in identifying those most suitable for the project, and facilitates entry of imported goods exempted from customs duties. FAORs are assisted in these roles by the National Professional Officers in FAO country offices whose familiarity with local conditions represents a considerable asset in dealing with emergencies. Moreover, a pool of national experts as a preparedness measure could be drawn upon for FAO emergency relief and rehabilitation activities as required. The precise composition of such a pool would depend on the national or regional `disaster profile' but would include expertise in agronomy, crop protection, animal husbandry, health and water management.
Implementation would normally be undertaken in partnership with the government like any other field project. The responsible department, usually in the Ministry of Agriculture, would be responsible for the distribution of project inputs and the provision of the necessary extension advice for their effective use. Complex emergencies are usually characterised by a lack of a functional government. In these cases, the most common mode of implementation is for TCOR to rely on NGOs operating in the project area. FAO is also supported by its sister agencies (WFP, UNHCR) in the distribution of inputs to target beneficiaries. Standard agreements are prepared for this purpose.
Procurements for TCOR projects are effected through the Procurement Service (AFSP) of the Administrative Services Division (AFS). They now constitute significant shares (around 45 percent) of total FAO procurement. Emergency procurement procedures are in place which speed up the purchasing process. They conform to internationally accepted standards for the provision of equipment and supplies and are applicable to all forms of emergency procurement including those for EMPRES interventions.
Procurement Missions are an important means mode of operation as they allow purchasing within or close to the recipient country. These missions are beneficial to FAO's programme as they ensure more timely delivery of supplies that are more likely to be suited to local conditions and tend to support local industry and input supply capacities. Missions usually consist of a Professional Procurement Officer, who may if required be accompanied by another staff member with expertise in the specific inputs to be purchased (usually an agronomist/seed specialist) and/or an AFSP clerical and administrative assistant. This team can be fielded at very short notice.
Under emergency procedures, Procurement Missions are given exceptional authority to initiate procurement in the field, as follows:
AFSP maintains a database of suppliers and services around the world, some of which may be in the country or region in which the project is to be implemented and may thus be of interest to the Procurement Mission or to other staff effecting procurement.
Emergency procurement services are also made available to UN agencies and NGOs, who receive funds for essential agricultural inputs directly from donors.
Requirements for procuring seed for emergency projects are that:
The Quality Declared Seed system is a set of normative standards developed by AGPS and designed to provide quality control during seed production. It is less demanding than seed certification, but adequate to ensure good quality seed both within countries and in international trade. Basic features of the system are as follows:
All seed maintainers are, and seed traders may be, registered seed producers.
Contracts for seed production for TCOR projects can be assigned to private firms, farmers and farmers' associations or cooperatives, or NGOs. These producers may also be involved with seed storage and distribution. FAO seed experts may be involved in the checking of production lots and seed.
AGPS operates the Information System on Crop Variety Enhancement and Utilization, which maintains a large crop database of varieties and suppliers for each country. This can be combined with information provided by the FAOR and/or emergency coordinator in determining which local seed suppliers are to be used, or alternatively what other sources exist within the region or internationally.
The obvious hazards associated with the use of pesticides necessitate a rigorous approach to pesticide procurement. This is especially important in emergency situations, and has been set out in Field Programme:
These publications are designed to provide guidance, covering selection, procurement and use of pesticides, in order to avoid problems commonly encountered in developing countries where pesticide registration, control and testing may be weak. Problems include supply of sub-standard and inappropriate formulations, poor quality or unsuitable packaging, inadequate labelling, oversupply, misuse, inadequate equipment for application, poor protection for handlers, prolonged storage, and disposal problems.
Pesticide selection is subject to the following main considerations:
Pesticides' procurement must adhere to the following principles:
The Guidelines suggest formats for invitations to submit tenders, and for tenders themselves including quotation, accompanying formal undertaking and supporting documentation.
The distribution of agricultural inputs is normally carried out under the guidance of a co-ordination committee. The committee is established either independently of, or for the purpose of the project. It is made up of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture (if available), relief agencies which are main operators in the agricultural sector, and FAO staff and/or consultants including the emergency coordinator.
The purpose of such a committee is to facilitate the tasks of:
Criteria for selecting NGOs for project participation include:
Participating agencies are allocated supplies of inputs on written requests according to agreed distribution schedules. They can be made responsible for the collection of supplies from warehouses and for transport to the areas of operation. Agreements with agencies as to allocations, schedules, responsibilities for storage, transport, associated costs, the use of surplus supplies etc. should emerge from the deliberations of the coordinating committee. These deliberations should also be confirmed in the form of written contracts with the parties concerned.
A number of unforeseeable factors may influence the extent to which farmers can make use of inputs, including price movements and the on-going security situation. In the event that the full quantities of inputs procured for specific agricultural seasons are not distributed, the residual inputs can normally be stored and used for the following season. This implies a need to maintain adequate storage facilities and make corresponding adjustments to the quantities procured (if any) for the following season.
Generating and sharing information on progress and impacts of the project, agricultural relief, rehabilitation efforts, and on on-going needs with interested parties are essential. This information is necessary for co-ordination between donors, NGOs and government and for achieving continuity with longer-term rehabilitation and recovery. In particular, the coordination of agriculture and food-related interventions and the related strengthening of local capacity from the outset of operations should be systematically considered in the reports distributed to donors. Circumstances such as complex emergencies, where a large number of agencies are involved in a range of different kinds of interventions, are likely to involve a donor coordinating committee. It is essential that FAO staff and/or consultants play a full and active part in such information-sharing and coordination efforts.
There is also likely to be a need for surveys which may or may not have been envisaged in the project document. These may be required to assist in the precise targeting of interventions, the monitoring of events which may necessitate adjustments in implementation operations, the monitoring of achievement of project outputs and the assessment of project impacts. Such surveys need to make the best use of staff resources available in government or relief agencies for survey design, data collection, data management, analysis and reporting. They are an essential element in monitoring and evaluation. NGOs and the support provided by WFP are important in this regard. Skills in survey work and data management are a distinct advantage in consultants hired for TCOR projects.
In rapidly evolving emergency situations, the need for a strong monitoring and reporting element for projects is self-evident. This is especially the case where there are multiple partners in implementation and a danger that none has a comprehensive view of the overall project status. TCOR Operations' Officers prepare progress and terminal reports based on monitoring information which is received from the field. The FAOR and TCOR consultants report to TCOR on the emergency situation in agriculture, the progress and impact of TCOR emergency assistance and on outstanding needs.
Final project reports, fulfil requirements of accountability to the donor and play a vital role in setting the stage for on-going rehabilitation interventions. They usually include a section on lessons learned which may be applicable to other TCOR projects in the same country and to future TCOR projects in general. Assessments of prospects and priorities for longer term rehabilitation, and the flagging of issues for a later rehabilitation identification and programming mission are also part of the final report.
Larger projects may include an independent evaluation exercise which examines project impact in wider terms. This ensures an unbiased scrutiny of project's design, objectives, and both immediate results and longer term impact. In other cases these elements are included in the normal reporting system and particularly in the final report. Evaluation may cover more than one project and be financed by an interested donor, as in the case of the 1996 evaluation of TCOR activities commissioned by the Netherlands.
FAO Guidelines and Reference Manuals
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1 See Phase Four -Impact and Immediate Needs Assessment)
