Article 2 Principles of food assistance

The Parties, in providing and delivering food assistance to the most vulnerable populations, should always adhere to the following principles:

1. (a)

   General principles of food assistance:

   1. (i)

      provide food assistance only when it is the most effective and appropriate means of addressing the food or nutrition needs of the most vulnerable populations;

   2. (ii)

      provide food assistance, taking into account the long-term rehabilitation and development objectives of the recipient countries, while supporting the broader goal of achieving food security, whenever appropriate;

   3. (iii)

      provide food assistance in a manner that protects livelihoods and strengthens the self-reliance and resilience of vulnerable populations, and local communities, and that prevents, prepares for, mitigates and responds to food security crises;

   4. (iv)

      provide food assistance in such a way as to avoid dependency and minimise direct and indirect negative impacts on beneficiaries and others;

   5. (v)

      provide food assistance in a way that does not adversely affect local production, market conditions, marketing structures and commercial trade or the price of essential goods for vulnerable populations;

   6. (vi)

      provide food aid in fully grant form, whenever possible;

2. (b)

   Principles of food assistance effectiveness:

   1. (i)

      in order to increase the amount available to spend on food assistance for vulnerable populations and to promote efficiency, minimise associated costs as much as possible;

   2. (ii)

      actively seek to cooperate, coordinate and share information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of food assistance programmes, and the coherence between food assistance and related policy areas and instruments;

   3. (iii)

      purchase food and other components of food assistance locally or regionally, whenever possible and appropriate;

   4. (iv)

      increasingly provide untied cash-based food assistance, whenever possible and based on needs;

   5. (v)

      only monetise food aid where there is an identified need to do so, and to improve the food security of vulnerable populations; base monetisation on transparent and objective market analysis and avoid commercial displacement;

   6. (vi)

      ensure food assistance is not used to promote the market development objectives of the Parties;

   7. (vii)

      avoid re-exportation of food aid to the maximum extent possible except to prevent or respond to an emergency situation; only re-export food aid in a manner that avoids commercial displacement;

   8. (viii)

      acknowledge, where appropriate, that relevant authorities or relevant stakeholders have the primary role and responsibility for the organisation, coordination and implementation of food assistance operations;

3. (c)

   Principles on the provision of food assistance:

   1. (i)

      target food assistance according to the food and nutrition needs of the most vulnerable populations;

   2. (ii)

      involve beneficiaries in the assessment of their needs and in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of food assistance, as well as other relevant stakeholders, where appropriate;

   3. (iii)

      provide food assistance that meets applicable safety and quality standards, and that respects cultural and local dietary habits and the nutritional needs of the beneficiaries;

   4. (iv)

      uphold the dignity of beneficiaries of food assistance;

4. (d)

   Principles of food assistance accountability:

   1. (i)

      take specific and appropriate measures to strengthen the accountability and transparency of food assistance policies, programmes, and operations;

   2. (ii)

      monitor, evaluate, and communicate, on a regular and transparent basis, the outcomes and the impact of food assistance activities in order to further develop best practices and maximise their effectiveness.