United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

1. What decisions or new strategies has the governing body of your organization taken to guide the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? Please provide a brief summary below, including the overarching vision of your governing body for the Decade of Action on the SDGs.

In November 2016, the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Executive Board approved a transformative package of instruments and actions known as the Integrated Road Map (IRM). The IRM changed WFP’s strategy, programme structure, financial management and reporting, transforming its ability to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Aiming to maximize WFP’s contribution to the SDGs and deliver its programmes more effectively, the IRM links four interrelated corporate components:

• The Strategic Plan (2017-2021) fully aligns WFP’s work with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the first UN agency to do so. While recognizing that the 17 SDGs are interconnected, WFP prioritizes SDG 2 (achieving zero hunger) and SDG 17 (partnering to support the implementation of the SDGs). The Strategic Plan provides a planning and operational framework to reinforce, through effective partnerships, WFP’s emergency, life-saving and logistics contributions as well as those it can make to ending hunger and chronic malnutrition. A mid-term review of this Strategic Plan is underway in 2019 and 2020.
• The Country Strategic Plan(CSP) ensures that WFP’s strategic direction and portfolio (humanitarian and development activities) at the country level are aligned with national priorities and SDG targets. WFP’s presence and strategic orientation in a country is determined by national gaps in achieving the SDGs, articulated through country-led SDG localization efforts such as national Zero Hunger Strategic Reviews (ZHSRs) which WFP supports.
• The Country Portfolio Budget that accompanies each Country Strategic Plan consolidates all operations and resources in a country into a single structure. It demonstrates the relevance, performance and impact of WFP's work by creating a “line of sight” that transparently links strategy, planning and budgeting, implementation and resources obtained to the results achieved.
• Lastly, the Corporate Results Framework (CRF) enables WFP to measure results and meet its commitment to transparency and accountability, with strategic goals, outcomes and results relating to the Strategic Plan.

2. At the secretariat level, what steps has your organization taken (or will it take) in the follow-up to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? Please specify actions, including but not limited to the following areas:

2.1 SDG-specific strategies, plans or work programmes;

Each country determines, under government leadership, its own priorities and targets and the actions required to reach the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. WFP supports this critical thought process through national Zero Hunger Strategic Reviews and its contribution to the UN Common Country Analysis (CCA) based on WFP’s analytical tools and data. In line with the planning processes of governments and United Nations country teams, WFP identifies national SDG targets and results that it is well placed to support. These are discussed with a range of stakeholders and translated into a tailored portfolio of work - the Country Strategic Plans (CSPs) - corresponding to identified gaps and WFP’s value proposition. WFP’s prioritization of SDG 2 (on achieving zero hunger), and SDG 17 (on partnering to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda) reflects its own history and mandate, and the interconnections among all 17 SDGs. In implementing the Strategic Plan, WFP contributes directly and indirectly to other national priorities and other SDGs through the outputs of its activities. WFP continuous to enhance its collaboration with partners, including IFAD and FAO, to leverage each one's capacities and strengths to support countries achieve the SDGs. Further, WFP supports countries in carrying out Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on SDG implementation.

2.2 Aligning the structure of the organization with the SDGs and the transformative features of the 2030 Agenda, including any challenges and lessons learned in doing so;

The adoption of the Integrated Road Map marked a significant effort by WFP to align itself with global commitments including the 2030 Agenda. By fully adopting the SDGs and translating them into the strategic goals and results of the organization, WFP’s contribution to national SDG targets and Agenda 2030 in general became more visible and understandable for stakeholders.

2.3 Readjusting or updating results-based budgeting and management, including performance indicators;

The task of introducing and stabilizing the Country Strategic Plans and their supporting systems is far from complete, and multiple adjustments lie ahead. By the end of 2019, all countries offices migrated to the Country Strategic Plans, and by the end of 2020 the first cycle will be completed. Amendments to the four corporate components can be made to ensure alignment with latest outcomes of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) and efforts of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). In November 2018, revisions to the programme and management performance indicators in the Corporate Results Framework were approved to improve WFP’s reporting on its results and contribution to achieving national SDG targets. Specifically, WFP developed SDG-related indicators to give the possibility to their country teams to collect information and report on their contributions to SDGs not included in the WFP Strategic Plan. The revised CRF also included further refined cross-cutting indicators (protection, climate change, disabilities).

With the new Strategic Plan (2017-2021), WFP seized the opportunity to integrate strategic and management results into a single Corporate Results Framework (CRF). The CRF is built around two Strategic Goals drawn from SDG 2 and SDG 17, and supported by the five Strategic Objectives and eight Strategic Results set out in the Strategic Plan (2017-2021).

The five Strategic Objectives are:

1. End hunger by protecting access to food
2. Improve nutrition
3. Achieve food security
4. Support SDG implementation
5. Partner for SDG results

The eight Strategic Results are:

1. Everyone has access to food (SDG Target 2.1)
2. No one suffers from malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2)
3. Smallholders have improved food security and nutrition through improved productivity and incomes (SDG Target 2.3)
4. Food system are sustainable (SDG Target 2.4)
5. Developing countries have strengthened capacities to implement the SDGs (SDG Target 17.9)
6. Policies to support sustainable development coherent (SDG Target 17.14)
7. Developing countries access a range of financial resources for development investment (SDG Target 17.3)
8. Sharing of knowledge, expertise and technology, strengthen global partnership support to country efforts to achieve the SDGs (SDG Target 17.16)

The five Strategic Objectives frame WFP's programmatic and operational focus and are linked to national and global efforts to meet the targets for SDGs 2 and 17. In addition to the eight Strategic Results, WFP also uses Strategic Outcomes, outputs and activities. Each country selects its own Strategic Outcomes, Outputs and Activities, which are linked to standardized categories, allowing for flexibility and contextualization at the country level while ensuring standardized performance measurement and reporting among countries.

 The results chain logframe is constructed from programme theories of change based on WFPs global experience. The introduction of related SDG measures allows flexibility for country context driven strategies while leveraging WFPs global knowledge and experience.

WFP is not using a humanitarian, development dichotomy, but context driven interventions addressing root causes, consequences of crisis or opportunities for resilience as way of working across humanitarian, development and peace nexus where applicable. In 2019 WFP adhered to the OECD/DAC Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus.

The delivery to beneficiary focus: aggregating WFP and partners transfers (resources and services) from the individual beneficiary to the global using inter-related country level data entry and verification information management system for full global transparency and accountability with stakeholders. These catalytic activities are designed to contribute to positive change under the SDG.

The CRF ensures harmonized design, monitoring and reporting for CSPs in all WFP offices. CRF business rules allow for great flexibility in order to cater for diversity of countries in which WFP works, but at the same time there are mandatory and recommended indicators for each programme activity.

2.4 Action to enhance support to the principle of "leaving no one behind" and to integrated policy approaches;

WFP’s portfolio of innovative policies and effective operations implemented in a range of contexts represent a potent contribution to a world seeking not only to end hunger and develop sustainably, but also to do so in ways that leave no one behind, strengthening capacities and building resilience along the way. The Strategic Plan (2017-2021) articulates a framework for realizing this opportunity by channeling WFP’s support to countries’ work to end hunger among the poorest and most food-insecure people, and by guiding WFP partnerships with a wide range of actors in the development, humanitarian and – as appropriate – peace and security communities. While responding to emergencies and saving lives and livelihoods constitute the major part of WFP’s operations it will also focus on aspects of development where food-based interventions are most appropriate. The Plan also leverages WFP’s primary strengths and capacities in humanitarian response and recovery and identifies opportunities to apply these strengths and capacities in the continuum from emergency relief to development.

2.5 Action to address the interlinkages across SDG goals and targets;

WFP contributes directly and indirectly to a broad set of national priorities and SDG targets, including SDGs other than SDG 2 and SDG 17 through the outputs of its activities. For example, a WFP supported school meals programme contributes will achieve nutritional results among students (related to SDG 2) while contributing to educational results (related to SDG 4).

2.6 Others.

3. What normative, analytical, technical assistance or capacity building activities is your organization providing to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? Please provide a brief account of the activities you have organized or intend to undertake, including but not limited to the following areas:

3.1 Enhancing national implementation including by supporting the mainstreaming of the SDGs in development plans and policies or through national sustainable development plans/strategies;

A WFP's Country Strategic Plan (CSP) is informed by national Zero Hunger Strategic Reviews (ZHSRs), a country-led exercise that determines the collective actions needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) by 2030.

WFP facilitates the implementation of ZHSRs and provides technical as well as financial support to the process. ZHSRs provide a comprehensive analysis of the country-specific food security and nutrition challenges through inclusive consultations with a wide range of government stakeholders, civil society, private sector, donors and international organizations.

Although focused on SDG2, the interdependent nature of the 17 SDGs mandates means that the ZHSR incorporates the multi-sectoral dimensions of food insecurity and malnutrition - achieving zero hunger is only possible if progress towards all SDGs is made, and vice versa. As such, cross-sectoral and cross institutional partnerships are essential to make Agenda 2030 a reality. Fostering relations between stakeholders is therefore an integral part and goal of the ZHSR process.

The purpose of the ZHSR is to support governments and other partners to achieve SDG2 - to "end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture". The process can be understood as a contribution to fulfilling a country's commitment to Agenda 2030 by offering a tested formula and approach on how to localize/domesticate SDG2. At the end of the process, a comprehensive analytical report highlighting the priority actions required to achieve zero hunger is endorsed by stakeholders. To date, WFP and partners have supported 69 nationally-owned ZHSRs worldwide.

Engaging a large number of stakeholders during the strategic review process and in the development of one comprehensive and multi-year portfolio prompted varying expectations and opinions regarding WFP's role in a country. The strategic review's focus on building evidence for WFP's value proposition based on recommendations and collective goals has helped to develop a shared vision and understanding of WFP's future portfolio among partners.

Governments are welcoming the opportunity to align WFP's work with national plans, including economic and social development plans. CSPs are also facilitating more effective partnerships with governments and the transfer of capabilities, which helps to increase WFP's focus on exit strategies.

3.2 Mainstreaming the SDGs in sectoral strategies, including specific SDG/target strategies;

WFP participates in and, where appropriate, facilitates country-led Zero Hunger Strategic Reviews to enable governments to accelerate progress towards eliminating food insecurity and malnutrition in line with SDG2. The reviews are conducted through a “whole of society” approach to inform the strategic plans of all stakeholders and partners - both national and international - in order to work towards collectively agreed outcomes in a coherent and coordinated way. The findings of the reviews also inform a range of other processes such as the national development plans, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs).

3.3 Supporting the strengthening of national institutions for more integrated solutions;

One of the key features of Zero Hunger Strategic Reviews is to bring multi-sectorial stakeholders together, that often do not sit at the same table e.g. food security and nutrition are often hosted under separate ministries and supported by dedicated partners. By convening a variety of actors to focus on integrated and cross-sectorial solutions to accelerate progress towards SDG 2, lasting fora and exchange platforms are established that can strengthen the lead and coordination role of national institutions.

3.4 Data and statistical capacity building;

WFP offers nationally-tailored technical assistance and capacity development to strengthen individual government capacities along five critical pathways, as relevant to achieving national food security and nutrition objectives. WFP also facilitates the transfer of knowledge by third parties, for example through South-South or Triangular Cooperation models, which promote peer-to-peer sharing of best practices between developing nations. Along with offering data and capacity building, WFP’s analyses are made available to partners and other external actors. These analyses span identifying vulnerable communities and assessing their levels of food insecurity; reviewing climate-related data to determine how seasonality can affect people’s access to and availability of food; understanding the role of climate change as a driver of food crises; studying markets; and weighing the strengths and weaknesses of local supply chains and retail sectors. 

3.5 Harnessing science, technology and innovation for the SDGs;

3.6 Multi-stakeholder partnerships;

WFP aligns and integrates its food assistance capacities and programmes with the interventions and investments of governments, other UN agencies, the private sector and civil society, which together can generate the systemic changes for sustainable development.

3.7 Bolstering local action and supporting sub-national plans/strategies and implementation for the SDGs;

3.8 Leveraging interlinkages across SDG goals and targets;

3.9 Supporting policies and strategies to leave no one behind;

3.10 Supporting the mobilization of adequate and well-directed financing;

3.11 Reducing disaster risk and building resilience;

WFP is at the forefront of responding to more frequent and intense disasters, which in 2019 have included Cyclones Kenneth and Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi; Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas; Typhoon Tisoy in the Philippines; and heavy monsoon floods in Bangladesh. In 2019, over 1.5 million people have received protective coverage from insurance programs implemented by WFP. Through its ‘African Risk Capacity (ARC) Replica’ initiative, WFP has provided a safety net for over one million people in five countries (Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, the Gambia and Zimbabwe) in the event of a possible catastrophic drought. WFP’s Forecast-based Financing (FbF) initiative is supporting governments and communities in 14 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America to develop anticipatory actions that mitigate disaster impacts during the critical window between the forecast and actual onset of extreme climate events. For example, in Bangladesh, WFP has provided cash transfers of around US$53 each to 4500 families (25,000 people) three days ahead of an impending flood disaster. In December 2019 in the Philippines, WFP has implemented forecast-based anticipatory cash transfers of around US$45 to 1000 beneficiariesfour days ahead of typhoon Tisoy.

Every year in over 50 countries, WFP invests in the lives and livelihoods of almost 10 million men, women, boy and girls to with solutions to restoring the land, returning water to the soil, and increasing biodiversity. Globally WFP with communities rehabilitated or improved 126,900 hectares of farming or non-farming land and planted over 7,000 hectares of forests. For example, in the Asia across 8 countries more than 4,660 Hectares of farming and non-farming land were rehabilitated or improved and more than 3,250 Hectares of forest were planted. Further, on the African continent across 26 countries WFP with communities rehabilitated or improved over 105,000 hectares of farming and non-farming land and planted over 2,300 Hectaresof forest.

Examples of WFP’s Food Assistance for Assets activities that promoted DRR through resilience building were undertaken across many countries include Pakistan, where the rehabilitating more than 4,300 km of footpaths, tracks and trails and constructing over 22 km of drainage canals to reduce their vulnerability to drought and increase access to public services. Further, in Sudan, more than 1,000 HA of agricultural land benefited from new or rehabilitated irrigation schemes reducing the risk of drought, as well as more than 12 kms of soil or stone bunds and small dikes to increase resilience to rainfall variability. In the Sahel, WFP’s FFA activities, that supported DRR through strengthening resilience included WFP’s investment in Government capacity strengthening and local capacity as part of ongoing efforts to increase resilience of the most vulnerable populations and promote better management of natural resources, resulting in thousands of Ha of land returned to production. And finally in the Democratic Republic of Congo, communities constructed or rehabilitated over 500 kms of feeder roads improving household access to social service and markets and in Mozambique, WFP’s FFA activities invested in shock-affected communities to recover from Cyclone Idai through debris clearing and retuning over 3,500 HA and rehabilitating 147 kms of irrigation canals to assist communities to strengthening their resilience and reducing their risk to recurring drought.

3.12 Supporting international cooperation and enhancing the global partnership;

3.13 Others.

4. The high-level political forum (HLPF) is the central platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. Has your organization participated in or supported the work of the HLPF? If yes, please specify your involvement in the following areas:

4.1 Supporting the intergovernmental body of your organization in contributing to the thematic review of the HLPF;

At the request of the government, WFP contributes to the Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) by leveraging available data on food security and nutrition to inform the evidenced-based reporting. Moreover, by ensuring that strategic and/or collective outcomes achieved by WFP are appropriately reflected in the VNRs. The national reviews serve as a basis for the regular reviews by the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), meeting under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Preparation of VNRs is led by country governments and typically involves ministerial and other relevant high-level participants with variability in the role that civil society can and has been able to play in each country. Under the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”, the 2019 HLPF focused on SDGs 4, 8, 10, 13, 16, & 17 – quality education, economic growth, reduce inequality, combat climate change, sustainable development and access to justice, and partnership. 

 

4.2 Contributing to policy/background briefs for the HLPF;

WFP contributes to the State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) and State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) reports which are discussed by the Committee of World Food Security (CFC) and subsequently feed into the HLPF’s global follow-up and review. The SOFI report informs on progress and challenges towards ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition. On the other hand, the SOFA report focuses on the causes and impacts of migration.

4.3 Helping organize SDG-specific events in the preparatory process;

In preparation for the 2017 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the UN Rome-based agencies–WFP, FAO and IFAD–collaborated with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) to organise an Expert Group Meeting (EGM). Experts and stakeholders were brought together to assess progress achieved in reaching the targets of SDG2. The meeting’s outcome document helped inform on progress key political messages and policy guidance for countries on what is needed to accelerate the implementation of SDG2 and achieve its targets. Refer to the Concept Note for more information.

4.4 Organizing side events or speaking at the HLPF;

In 2017, WFP co-organized the Reaching those left furthest behind: Addressing hunger and poverty in protracted crises side-event to bring humanitarian assistance and longer-term development efforts together in protracted crises contexts.

In 2018, WFP participated in the Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the UN side-event to highlight examples of Russia-WFP partnerships: 1) operational response; 2) policy development; 3) direct financial support; 4) Innovative debt-for-development swaps (National School Meals programme) in Mozambique.

During the Partnerships Exchange event, WFP highlighted the Zero Hunger Strategic Review Process as a platform for bringing together government and a broad-based coalition of actors to addressing SDG 2 and related priorities. Moreover, WFP’s transformational approach to partnering that began with the 2014-2017 Corporate Partnership Strategy and the importance of staff training and skills development to strengthen partnership capacity.

4.5 Supporting the VNR process.

Of the 47 host governments that presented their VNRs in 2019, WFP has operational presence in 25 countries. Of those, 22 COs reported supporting their host governments in this exercise. 20 COs reported supporting with the VNR and only 2 COs reported supporting the broader HLPF participation excluding the VNR. 

5. How has your organization cooperated with other UN system organizations to achieve coherence and synergies in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? In this regard, has your organization launched or intend to launch any joint programmes or projects in collaboration with other UN entities? Are there any results or lessons you would like to highlight that might help improve the design and impact of such efforts? Has your organization participated in any of the following coordination systemwide mechanisms or any other relevant platform - CEB, UNSDG, EC-ESA Plus, regional coordination meetings, UN-Energy, UN-Water, UN-Ocean, IAEG, IATT? Please specify which and indicate any suggestions you may have about improving collaborations within and across these mechanisms/platforms.

WFP's Strategic Plan (2017-2021) is designed for a period of up to 5 years to overcome programme fragmentation, internal coordination gaps and high transaction costs, while enabling WFP to work in synergy with governments, other UN agencies, private sector and civil society to combine and leverage complementary strengths and resources. Moreover, it enables WFP to forge long-term multi-stakeholder partnerships in line with the New Way of Working (NWoW). The new UN-World Bank Partnership Framework for Crisis-Affected Situations is an example of how WFP and partners work increasingly across the humanitarian - development nexus. In refugee contexts, the UNHCR/WFP Joint Strategy on Enhancing Self-Reliance in Food Security and Nutrition (2016) is an excellent example of the NWoW and provides a useful platform for delivering the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).

WFP, FAO and IFAD also share a common vision for the sustainable development agenda as outlined in the joint paper: Collaboration among the United Nations Rome-based Agencies: Delivering on the 2030 Agenda. Most recently, 19 UN entities including WFP have signed a statement on Mutual Recognition to recognise each other’s policies and process. WFP will continue strengthening its efforts to contribute to collective results across humanitarian and development contexts, and to enhance advocacy on food security and nutrition at the global level and within the broader United Nations system.

WFP has also played a proactive role in the design of the new CCA/UNSDCF approach and is continuing to align its CSPs with the UNSDCF, both in terms of content and cycle.

 As part of the 2030 agenda, WFP in over 10 countries developed and/or participated in formal joint-UN programmes and partnerships with national authorities to contribute to achieving SDG2. These policies and programme partnerships transect the spectrum of WFP’s engagement and include contributions ranging from national policy dialogue to actions and activities in rural and remote locations to empower women and communities to become stronger agents of change to the shocks and stressors that reduce their resilience and attainment of the SDGs. From these multidimensional partnerships with UN agencies, several broad lessons have been distilled. These include the appreciation that:

1. Operational partnerships require setting the expectations up front with teams from all parties/stakeholders. They also require high levels of engagement, energy and commitment. The level of readiness will never be even across the board, and this requires acceptance and support of each other. Cross-fertilization of staff/teams might be a good idea for a short period of time (through secondments or short-term deployments; this way staff from each agency will get exposure and appreciation of the 'others' and facilitate synergies and working towards common goals.
2. Jointly implemented project interventions from the onset need to be designed and coordinated collectively but based on a common and singular implementation plan that defines the different roles and responsibilities of the collaborating agencies but measured by a singular set of outcomes and impacts which is achieved by the combination of the different inputs from the agencies.
3. Examples of the different join UN programmes WFP has engaged include:
   • UN Joint Programme to Strengthen Urban and Rural Resilience and the Conditions for Recovery in Syria;
   • The Rome-based Agencies’ programme to strengthen the resilience of livelihoods in protracted crisis contexts in DRC, Niger and Somalia;
   • The UN Joint Resilience Action programme in Somalia;
   • The RBA programme to supporting government on poverty reduction and resilience building in Dominican Republic;
   • The UN Joint Programme on “Accelerating Progress towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women” (JPRWEE) in Guatemala and Nepal.

6. How has your organization engaged with stakeholder groups, both in supporting implementation at the country, regional and global levels, and within your own organization? If yes, please provide main highlights, including any lessons learned. If your organization has established any multi-stakeholder partnerships to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, please describe them and how their performances are being monitored and reviewed.

At all levels, WFP works in synergy with various stakeholders to implement and support programmes that strengthen the capacities of people, communities and countries to manage underlying risks, save lives and livelihoods, and ultimately end hunger. For example, WFP participates in and, where appropriate, facilitates the country-led Zero-Hunger Strategic Review. Conducted through a “whole of society” approach, the findings of the review feed into national strategies and action plans and inform the strategic plans other stakeholders and partners - both national and international - in order to work towards collectively agreed outcomes in a coherent and coordinated way.

7. Has your organization organized any conferences, forums or events designed to facilitate exchange of experience, peer and mutual learning in connection with the SDGs? If yes, please provide a brief summary, below and include lessons learned and gaps identified based on the outcomes of these events. Please also include any events you want to organize in the coming years.

Global South-South Development Expo

During the 2018 Global South-South Development Expo (GSSD Expo), the only Expo offered by the UN system solely for the Global South, the UN Rome-based agencies co-hosted the “From Fragility to Resilience in rural settings: the role of South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSCT)” side event. There, WFP shared its experiences on SSCT cooperation in areas such as early-warning and preparedness systems that allow the governments to prevent crises or respond quickly when they happen, developing national capacities to manage social protection systems and disaster risk through finance and risk-transfer tools and providing access to expertise in vulnerability analysis and mapping. Moreover, WFP highlighted how its integrated resilience strategies, climate adaptation and Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) programmes help strengthen resilience and food security as well bridge the development-humanitarian-peace nexus.

Conference of the Parties (COP25)

At the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the WFP delegation has contributed to 3 high-level segments as well as 11 events organized together with other UN Agencies, governments and the private sector. WFP also engaged in 24 bilateral meetings with government and donor partners and provided interviews and expert insights to international media outlets. These opportunities were instrumental to support governments in their national climate ambitions and in strengthening climate risk management efforts toward implementation of the Paris Agreement. WFP shared experiences with weather index-based insurance programs, climate information services, forecast-based financing, and shock responsive social protection. Many examples were shared from the Latin America and Caribbean region. WFP signed the Alliance for Hydromet Development with 12 other IFIs and UN agencies, which comits signatory members to collectively ramp up actions that strengthen the capacity of developing countries to deliver high-quality weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate services.

UN Climate Action Summit

At the UN Climate Action Summit, WFP announced contributions to a series of initiatives to promote and finance concrete actions on climate risk insurance (through the InsuResilience Global Partnership, which aims to have 500 million vulnerable people covered by pre-arranged disaster risk finance and insurance mechanisms by 2025); Forecast-based financing and anticipatory action (through the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), which aims to invest US$500 million in early warning systems by 2025); and climate services for smallholder farmers, including digital advisories and agro-ecological practices (through the Global Commission for Adaptation (GCA) Action Track on Agriculture and Food Security, which aims to expand access to climate services to 100 million small-scale producers by 2030).

Committee of World Food Security (CFS46)

At the margins of the 46th session of the Committee of World Food Security (CFS46), the UN Rome-based agencies hosted an advocacy event to address the importance of safeguarding food security in the face of climate change by better integration of targeted climate action. Together with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), WFP and the UN Rome-based Agencies hosted an event to discuss the role of climate finance in unlocking food system transformation. The purpose of the discussion was to inform a GCF guidance document setting out its ambitions on agriculture, rural livelihoods and food security, as well as setting directions for a paradigm shift necessary to move towards climate-resilient and low-emission agricultural development.

Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR)

WFP attended the 6th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) and the Second Multi-Hazard Early Warning Conference (MHEWC–II) to share experiences on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives at the nexus between humanitarian aid and development cooperation. Delegation members raised governments’ awareness on a range of innovative DRR programs, including risk and vulnerability assessments, risk analytics, early warning systems, forecast-based financing, local level resilience building and climate risk insurance. WFP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific presented a Platform for the Real-time Impact and Situation Monitoring (PRISM) which combines satellite-derived information with ground data to monitor and forecast the evolving nature of slow onset phenomena (such as droughts) and their impact on the population in near real-time.

8. Is there any other information you would like to share, including annual reports of your organization and any impact assessment or evaluation reports? If yes, please use the space below and attach the document(s). Please also use this space to provide any other information, comments or remarks you deem necessary.

The Annual Performance Report (APR) is the primary accountability tool used to report WFP achievements and results to the Executive Board. Click here to access the latest report. Moreover, publicly available audit and inspection reports can be accessed here.

9. In your view, what should strategic directions look like for the UN system in support of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs in the Decade of Action? What key elements should they include and what major challenges should they address?

In close consultation with other UN stakeholders, WFP is contributing to the development of an overarching UN system-wide strategic engagement framework. In WFP's view, UN efforts - and therefore UN Reform - must be guided by a clear and comprehensive system-wide strategic logic in order to ensure that reforms within the different workstreams are consistent, coherent, and mutually reinforcing. The System-wide Strategic Framework must be guided by the principle that country level efforts are the key to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The measure of success is progress on the ground against the SDG targets and indicators, recognizing that the SDGs are the 'results framework' against which UN system efforts will be measured.

The UN System's four functional pillars -- development, human rights and the rule of law, peace and security, and humanitarian response -- structure the UN's unique contribution to country efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. In this context, achieving the 2030 Agenda involves two fundamental challenges. On the one hand, it is necessary to take actions that will advance and enable progress towards achieving the SDGs. On the other hand, it is essential to take actions that address and/or contain the threats and hindrances to achieving progress on the SDGs. Addressing these twin challenges requires responses that are coherent, coordinated, and mutually reinforcing.

10. Please suggest one or two endeavours or initiatives that the UN system organizations could undertake together to support the implementation of the SDGs between now and 2030.