Food for Work - Integrated Food Security Programmes - Main Users / Purpose

• Technical project staff from IFSP, NGOs or governmental institutions, consultants, and external evaluators.
• Public works planners and officers, who organise, administrate and monitor the logistics and the management of FFW

IFSPs are characterised by an integrated multi-sector approach. It depends on the identified nutritional problem of the target group, whose sector has to be emphasized, and which type of instrument should be selected to improve the food security situation of the target population. Generally, IFSPs work directly with the target groups and promote local organisations.

Within the wide range of options for programming FFW activities between relief and development activities, Food-for-Work should be seen as an instrument appropriate for rehabilitating and addressing chronic food insecurity within a population. Therefore, a minimum potential of resources has to be available, and only able-bodied individuals can participate in FFW activities. Consequently, the elderly, disabled or sick, as well as children with specific nutritional problems, need to be supported by other modalities and programmes.

Some common objectives concerning FFW activities can be summarised as follows:

• Relief objectives, to meet primarily the acute food needs of the participants.
• Development objectives, to create productive or social assets, such as drainage and irrigation schemes, land reclamation, reforestation, roads, bridges, schools, clinics or community buildings.
• Organisational objectives, to strengthen self-help and participation through capacity building of local committees or grass-roots organisations.
• Sustainability objectives, by maintaining the created assets through the local institutions to promote long-term food security conditions beyond the project life.