WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by country | Page 703

Standard Project Report 2016
beneficiary targets by 30 percent and did so substantially under budget, demonstrating good value for money
while ensuring that the most food-insecure communities could meet their basic food needs.
WFP was able to reach more beneficiaries than planned by adjusting the ration size. Changes in the food
distribution, number of months required for the operation, and number of target areas had already been anticipated
when planning the EMOP, and therefore initial ration sizes were only general estimates. WFP revised the ration size
based on the operational area, while taking into consideration the nutritional needs and recovery period of the target
population and also accounting for distribution location and the logistics required to reach the areas.
During the general distribution, WFP planned to record the Coping Strategy Index (CSI), a measure for the
frequency and severity of behaviours households engage in when faced with food shortages. Due to a number of
issues including accessibility and security incidents that caused operational delays, there was added urgency to
distribute food in a timely manner. Therefore, operational components were prioritised, and the CSI was
not measured. However, WFP compared the results of the two mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (mVAM)
assessments, conducted from January to February 2016 and November to December 2016 respectively, to
observe any changes in the food security status and household food consumption of communities. WFP
noted that the food security situation improved substantially throughout PNG from January to December 2016. This
improvement is most likely due to the start of rains, which enabled families to replant food gardens and increase
their food supply. The improvement can also be attributed, in part, to WFP's food assistance provided to the most
vulnerable populations during the EMOP.
In particular, the comparison of mVAM assessments showed that the percentage of communities facing extreme
shortages or having no food dropped from 26 percent to only one percent. Similarly, the 50 percent of households
suffering from hunger dropped to two percent by the end of the project. WFP also noted overall improvements in the
Perceived Food Insecurity Index (based on the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale–HFIAS), which measures
households reporting various negative coping strategies resulting from food insecurity, such as eating famine foods
(roots, leaves) or going for 24 hours without eating; there was a reduction in the number of households in the 'very
poor' category and an increase in households in the 'fair' and 'acceptable' categories. The comparison between
mVAM assessments also showed that markets for staple foods stabilised and access to staple foods had improved.
The price of rice, however, increased slightly due in part to higher demand and the gradual devaluation of the
kina. Among the livelihood groups found to be most affected by the El Niño drought in the January–February 2016
survey—i.e., those depending on cash crops, garden crops, and livestock—incomes were recovering, albeit slowly.
While there is overall improvement, there is also variation in the degree of the recovery and indication that some
households still face food scarcity. The Government and stakeholders are encouraged to routinely monitor the
situation in order to support policy design and response activities. WFP is looking to develop a monitoring system in
2017 to support the Government in monitoring and assessing the food needs in the country.
Because of the urgent nature of the operation and food needs of the targeted populations, compounded by
undertaking direct distribution, operations were prioritised and the indicators on gender and protection were not
measured. Despite this, gender and protection issues were given attention throughout all aspects of programming,
from planning to distribution.
Progress Towards Gender Equality
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), gender inequality remains a major development challenge. There is a high level of
gender-based violence, and PNG’s systems of family and community relationships often exclude women from
leadership and decision-making roles. Women’s life expectancy is lower than that of men