Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA): An External Review of WFP Guidance and Practice

The CFSVA is rapidly evolving into an appropriate information source for a broad range of WFP program and advocacy information requirements. Programming goals for WFP reflecting the changing environment for food-resourced programming and increased experience using the livelihood framework clearly demonstrate that food programs are better designed and more appropriately implemented when focused on reducing vulnerability. The convergence of evidence points toward a strategy for reducing vulnerability through an asset-based approach to risk management. Essentially, food-resourced programming for both relief and recovery interventions should leave beneficiary households and communities with better access to assets than before the intervention. These assets can then be used to reduce any negative impact on food security from future risk exposure. Assets are broadly defined in the livelihoods conceptual framework to include natural assets from the environment, human assets like education, and social assets from the community in addition to more common usage of the word assets. One of the reasons that analyses relevant to livelihoods programming need to be comprehensive is because of this broad view of assets in the livelihood framework. Food aid is no longer intended to only meet the immediate nutritional needs, but now must also strengthen livelihoods and reduce vulnerability.