Food aid management standard 3: distribution
The method of food distribution is responsive, transparent, equitable and appropriate to local conditions.
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Key indicators (to be read in conjunction with the guidance notes)
Recipients of food aid are identified and targeted on the basis of need, by means of an assessment carried out through consultation with stakeholders, including community groups (see guidance notes 1-2).
Efficient and equitable distribution methods are designed in consultation with local groups and partner organisations, and involve the various recipient groups (see guidance notes 1-3).
The point of distribution is as close as possible to recipients' homes to ensure easy access and safety (see guidance notes 4-5).
Recipients are informed well in advance of the quality and quantity of the food ration and the distribution plan (see guidance notes 6-7).
The performance and effectiveness of the food aid programme are properly monitored and evaluated (see guidance note 8).
Guidance notes
1. Targeting: food aid should be targeted to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in the community, without discrimination on the basis of gender, disability, religious or ethnic background, etc. The selection of distribution agents should be based on their impartiality, capacity and accountability. Distribution agents may include local elders, locally elected relief committees, local institutions, local NGOs, or government or international NGOs (see Participation and Initial assessment standards on and Targeting standard).
2. Registration: formal registration of households receiving food aid should be carried out as soon as is feasible, and updated as necessary. Lists developed by local authorities and community-generated family lists may be useful, and the involvement of women from the affected population in this process is to be encouraged. Women should have the right to be registered in their own names if they wish. Care should be taken to ensure that female or adolescent-headed households and other vulnerable individuals are not omitted from distribution lists. If registration is not possible in the initial stages of the emergency, it should be completed as soon as the situation has stabilised. This is especially important when food aid may be required for lengthy periods.
3. Distribution methods: most distribution methods evolve over time. In the initial stages, general distributions based on family lists or population estimates provided by local communities may be the only feasible method. Any system should be monitored closely to ensure that food is reaching the intended recipients, and that the system is fair and equitable. Particular emphasis should be given to the accessibility of the programme to vulnerable groups. However, attempts to target vulnerable groups should not add to any stigma already experienced by these groups. This may be a particular issue in populations with large number of people living with HIV/AIDS (see Participation, Targeting, Monitoring and Evaluation standards in chapter 1).
4. Distribution points should be established where they are safe and most convenient for the recipients, not merely on the basis of logistic convenience for the distributing agency. The frequency of distribution and the number of distribution points should take into account the time spent by recipients travelling to/from centres, and the practicalities and cost of transporting commodities. Recipients should not be made to walk long distances to collect rations, and distributions should be scheduled at convenient times to minimise disruption to everyday activities. Waiting areas and potable water should be provided at distribution points (see Correction of malnutrition standards 1-2).
5. Minimising security risks: food is a valuable commodity and its distribution can create security risks, including both the risk of diversion and the potential for violence. When food is in short supply, tensions can run high when deliveries are made. Women, children, elderly people and people with disabilities may be unable to obtain their entitlement, or may have it taken from them by force. The risks must be assessed in advance and steps taken to minimise them. These should include adequate supervision of distributions and guarding of distribution points, including the involvement of local police where appropriate. Measures to prevent, monitor and respond to gender-based violence or sexual exploitation associated with food distribution may also be necessary.
6. Dissemination of information: recipients should be informed about
- the quantity and type of ration to be distributed and the reasons for any differences from established norms;
- the distribution plan (day, time, location, frequency) and deviation, if any, due to outside circumstances;
- the nutritional quality of the food and, if needed, special attention required to protect its nutritional value; and
- the requirements for the safe handling and use of the food commodities.
7. Changes to the programme: changes in the food basket or ration levels caused by insufficient availability of food must be discussed with the recipients, through distribution committees or community leaders, and a course of action should be jointly developed. The distribution committee should inform the population of changes and the reasons behind them, how long changes will continue and when the distribution of normal rations will be resumed. It is essential to communicate clearly what people should receive. For example, ration quantities should be displayed prominently at distribution sites, written in the local language and/or drawn pictorially, so that people are aware of their entitlements.
8. Monitoring and evaluation of food aid distribution should be carried out at all levels of the supply chain. At distribution points, random weighing should be carried out of rations collected by households to measure the accuracy and equity of distribution management, and exit interviews should be conducted. At community level, random visits to households receiving food aid can help to ascertain the acceptability and usefulness of the ration, and also to identify people who meet the selection criteria but who are not receiving food aid. Such visits can also ascertain if extra food is being received and where it is coming from (e.g. as a result of commandeering, recruitment or exploitation, sexual or otherwise). The wider effects on the food distribution system should also be considered. These may include implications for the agricultural cycle, agricultural activities, market conditions and availability of agricultural inputs.
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