UN World Food Programme: Toward Zero Hunger with Analytics

Abstract

Each year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) provides food assistance to around 100 million people in more than 80 countries. Significant investments over the last decade have put planning and optimization at the forefront of tackling emergencies at WFP. A data-driven approach to managing operations has gradually become the norm and has culminated in the creation of a supply chain planning unit and savings of more than USD 150 million—enough to support two million food-insecure people for an entire year. In this paper, we describe three analytical solutions in detail: the Supply Chain Management Dashboard, which uses descriptive and predictive analytics to bring end-to-end visibility and anticipate operational issues; Optimus, which uses a mixed-integer programming model to simultaneously optimize food basket composition and supply chain planning; and DOTS, which is a data integration platform that helps WFP automate and synchronize complex data flows. Three impact studies for Iraq, South Sudan, and COVID-19 show how these tools have changed the way WFP manages its most complex operations. Through analytics, decision makers are now equipped with the insights they need to manage their operations in the best way, thereby saving and changing the lives of millions and bringing the world one step closer to zero hunger.

Assessing the value of supply chain management in the humanitarian context – An evidence-based research approach

“…, 2022). Enhanced supply chain planning has tremendous potential to bring down operational cost and improve performance overall (Peters et al. , 2022).…”

“…IT systems such as the LINK system developed by Action Contre la Faim (ACF) and shared with other NGOs are one step in this direction and certainly bear potential for making the supply chain more efficient (RLH, 2019; Falagara et al. , 2020; Peters et al. , 2022).…”

“…16 PRC and 4 IFRC staff attended the 6-month program that consisted of three elements, namely 1) Strategic Sourcing and Markets With transport and personnel being the second and third largest expenditure category in the supply chain, we also see here the need for further efficiencies. To reduce transport cost, organizations have to find ways to avoid unnecessary air shipments and improve utilization of available transport capacities (RLH, 2019;Munyaka and Yadavalli, 2021;Peters et al, 2022). Enhanced supply chain planning has tremendous potential to bring down operational cost and improve performance overall (Peters et al, 2022).…”

“…To reduce transport cost, organizations have to find ways to avoid unnecessary air shipments and improve utilization of available transport capacities (RLH, 2019;Munyaka and Yadavalli, 2021;Peters et al, 2022). Enhanced supply chain planning has tremendous potential to bring down operational cost and improve performance overall (Peters et al, 2022). A team around WFP's supply chain planning unit has won the Franz Edelmann Award 2021 on the innovation they have brought to the sector in this field (INFORMS, 2021).…”

“…With transport and personnel being the second and third largest expenditure category in the supply chain, we also see here the need for further efficiencies. To reduce transport cost, organizations have to find ways to avoid unnecessary air shipments and improve utilization of available transport capacities (RLH, 2019;Munyaka and Yadavalli, 2021;Peters et al, 2022). Enhanced supply chain planning has tremendous potential to bring down operational cost and improve performance overall (Peters et al, 2022).…”