WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by country | Page 295

Standard Project Report 2016
Project Objectives and Results
Project Objectives
The specific objectives of this immediate response emergency operation were to: 1) strengthen and complement the
government-led response during the acute emergency response phase following Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston; 2)
reinforce national Food Security, Logistics and Emergency Telecommunications coordination structures and
capacity; and 3) reduce short-term hunger of some of the poorest and most vulnerable households critically affected
by the cyclone.
Activities planned under this IR-EMOP included:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A rapid market assessment conducted by WFP's Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) unit to identify the
appropriateness of delivering food assistance through cash-based transfers (CBT) via existing national social
safety nets;
Information and communications technology (ICT) assessments to determine the impact of the cyclone on
telecommunication systems;
The deployment of surge staff to reinforce national coordination structures; and
Provision of food assistance through CBT to a planned 7,000 beneficiaries living in priority areas worst affected
by the cyclone.
Additional assistance targeting 72,000 cyclone-affected people in Fiji was provided by WFP through Emergency
Operation (EMOP) 200957.
Approved Budget for Project Duration (USD)
Cost Category
Capacity Dev.t and Augmentation
47,500
Direct Support Costs
230,208
Indirect Support Costs
46,731
Cash & Voucher and Related Costs
389,872
Total
714,311
Project Activities
WFP studies on the feasibility of using cash-based transfers (CBT) to provide food assistance in Fiji, conducted
before Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston as part of its emergency preparedness and response (EPR) activities in the
Asia-Pacific region, had shown that the Government, through the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty
Alleviation, had strengthened nationwide public social protection transfer programmes using cash-based transfer
mechanisms (electronic cards, food vouchers and cash grants) to cater for the needs of the poorest and most
vulnerable members of society.
A 2011 World Bank evaluation report on social protection schemes in Fiji noted the high level of targeting accuracy
of the existing systems, including the Poverty Benefit Scheme (PBS), Care and Protection Allowance (CPA) and
Social Protection Scheme (SPS). The results of the Government’s own post-cyclone top-up transfer programme
using its social protection systems, which was launched in March 2016 to support all registered beneficiaries
irrespective of whether or not they resided in the cyclone-affected areas, also demonstrated positive outcomes. A
rapid market assessment conducted by WFP's Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) unit in the wake of TC
Winston revealed that despite the cyclone's devastating effects on people's livelihoods and assets, access to food
markets was rapidly re-established, and supermarkets and wholesalers had resumed operations. These were all
key factors considered in order to determine the appropriateness of using CBT to minimise the adoption of negative
Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands (FJ)
11
Single Country IR-EMOP - 200952