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Emergency food assistance standard

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Key points
  • WFP is UNHCR's main partner in ensuring refugee food needs are met. When refugee populations are larger than 5,000, UNHCR and WFP collaborate to meet their food and nutrition needs. UNHCR meets the food and other basic needs of populations smaller than 5,000
  • When designing food assistance, cash assistance should always be considered as an option, in accordance with UNHCR's cash policy and guidance and the basic needs approach. Cash assistance programmes should be designed in collaboration with other actors, in line with the Four Principles Statement and UNHCR/WFP's Cash Addendum
  • When UNHCR provides in-kind food assistance, the NutVal calculator should be used to calculate the nutritional value of rations
  • Food assistance should target those in most need, in support of UNHCR's protection and solutions strategy for refugees, and refugee self-reliance
  • When UNHCR and WFP provide basic assistance, and collaborate to target assistance, share data, make systems inter-operable, or agree joint programming in food security and nutrition, these programmes should be integrated in Operations' Joint Plans of Action
  • The Sphere Handbook should be used as a reference when designing food assistance

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