Humanitarian organizations delivering food assistance in conflict-affected areas or regions plagued by natural disasters or outbreaks of epidemic diseases cannot do their job blindly. Practitioners operating on the ground need a steady flow of accurate, up-to-date information to remain effective — and safe.
In order to design, implement and monitor programs when access is limited and risky, critical questions must be answered to understand the cause of the crisis, ascertain the number of people affected, what type of assistance they require and where, and whether they have successfully received that assistance.
The World Food Program’s Department of Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping boasts a network of about 150 food security analysts in more than 70 countries, tasked with gathering such “actionable food security information.” In 2012, the organization piloted mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping, or mVAM monitoring, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to collect food security data remotely via mobile phones using short surveys and interviews, SMS interaction, and an Interactive Voice Response system.
About the author
Elena L. Pasquini@elenapasquini
Elena Pasquini covers the development work of the European Union as well as various U.N. food and agricultural agencies for Devex News. Based in Rome, she also reports on Italy's aid reforms and attends the European Development Days and other events across Europe. She has interviewed top international development officials, including European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs. Elena has contributed to Italian and international magazines, newspapers and news portals since 1995.
