WFP operations in the OPT (June 2010) – Situation Report

Overview of WFP activities in oPt 

WFP has been providing food assistance to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since 1991. The Country Office is located in Jerusalem, and is supported by an office in Gaza, two sub-offices (Nablus and Hebron) and one port office (Ashdod). WFP employs over 100 staff in the oPt, both national and international.

WFP currently meets the food needs of the most vulnerable non-refugees in the oPt through three operations:

1) A Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) in the West Bank (2007-2010);

2) An Urban Voucher Emergency Operation (EMOP) in the West Bank (2009-2010);

3) An Emergency Operation (EMOP) in the Gaza Strip (2009-2011).

A successor West Bank PRRO for the period 2011-2012 will be submitted for approval at the November 2010 session of the WFP Executive board. The PRRO will target a caseload of 454,500 beneficiaries, with a particular focus on priority areas such as Area C and the Seam Zone. Assistance will be provided through the following components: (i) Emergency relief for the destitute; (ii) Livelihood support for vulnerable households (general food distributions and vouchers); (iii) School Meals in the most food-insecure areas, and (iv) a new Voucher-for-Work and Voucher-for-Training component to contribute to and promote self-reliance by preserving agricultural assets to restore livelihoods.

Following its successful roll-out in the West Bank, the Urban Voucher EMOP will be integrated in the PRRO as of January 2011 as part of the livelihood support for vulnerable groups component in urban and semi-urban areas. The caseload will be gradually expanded to 90,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2011.

The Gaza EMOP will be running until April 2011.  The EMOP currently targets 313,000 non-refugee beneficiaries through general food distributions and school feeding, i.e., 70 percent of the non-refugee population in Gaza, aiming at meeting the immediate needs of the population affected by the conflict as well as improving the food consumption of families and individuals in need. 15,000 beneficiaries are receiving vouchers in urban and semi-urban areas of the North Gaza, Gaza and Khan Younis Governorates.  This enables them to access a range of various commodities including protein-rich food (dairy products and eggs) directly from small and medium-sized shop keepers while saving cash for other essential food and non-food commodities.

WFP also thrives to maintain the enrolment of children and enhance concentration levels in schools through the daily distribution of milk and biscuits to 92,000 school-children.

Urban voucher pilot project in the West Bank: One year after

On 26 June, WFP attended the celebration of the very first anniversary of the pilot Urban Voucher Project in the Governorate of Nablus, in northern West Bank.

The event, an initiative by the Governor, was held at the Labor Union Theater of Nablus bringing together all the Local Committees involved in the successful implementation of the project in the Governorate.

Following the words of appreciation by the Deputy Governor and the Mayor of Nablus, the WFP Country Director seized the occasion of this festive event to look back and reflect on the actual impact of the project on the livelihoods of the more than 12,000 beneficiaries in the Nablus area.

A cost-effectiveness review carried-out in May 2010 showed some very positive results. Not only has the number of beneficiaries unable to afford sufficient food of quality been reduced from 24 to 5 percent, the project also significantly supported the enrolled shop-owners as well as the consumption of locally-produced dairy commodities.

In fact, the shopkeepers recorded sale increases of up to 20 percent, the local production of dairy products by small and medium sized factories increased by 30 percent and a third of the shops have hired additional workers during the voucher exchange days.

Before leaving the floor to a spec-tacular traditional dance group and the cunning talents of an illusionist, WFP acknowledged that the success was mainly due to the great efforts by the Local Committee members and partner ACF (Action against Hunger).  WFP announced the expansion of the voucher project in the West Bank now that the pilot roll-out has been successfully achieved.

As of September 2010, WFP will gradually increase the number of beneficiaries in the whole West Bank from 31,000 to 55,000 before the end of the year.  These will not only include families living in urban areas, but also the very poor households in the outskirts of major towns and cities in the West Bank.

Nutrition Awareness Campaign, a WFP/JICA collaboration

On 27 and 28 June, Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) alumni volunteers in Gaza carried out a 2–day educational awareness campaign, promoting nutritional awareness among WFP Social Hardship Case beneficiaries.

The campaign was carried out at the main distribution point of the May/June WFP distribution cycle, while the beneficiaries were receiving their food rations (partly funded by JICA).

On the first day, beneficiaries were approached and engaged in discussions around the nutritional value of the food received, the benefits of fortification as well as proper handling of the food in their kitchens and storage rooms.

The next day, the JICA volunteers replicated the exercise while visiting institutional feeding centers that are covered by the same WFP activity (Assistance to the Destitute). WFP distributes food rations directly to the institutions such as orphanages and hospitals, as these beneficiaries are not able to reach WFP distribution points.

The campaign is yet another good example of how resources from different actors can be pooled together in order to maximize the outcome of humanitarian interventions.