IPC in Asia and Near East

In November 2010, the IPC was introduced in Asia to develop a common methodological approach to characterise food insecurity by:

• Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of crisis response; and
• Strengthening mechanisms for disaster preparedness and risk reduction in the food security sector.

IPC activities in the region are currently supported by a multi-agency IPC Regional Support Unit (RSU), hosted by the FAO Regional Office (in Bangkok). The IPC RSU supports regional coordination, technical backstopping, technical training and lessons-learning efforts related to the IPC in South and South East Asia, as well as in the Near East, in close collaboration with IPC Global Partners and Regional partners including WFP, ASEAN, ADPC and UNICEF as well as donors including USAID, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), AusAid. The activities at country level are conducted by IPC National Technical Working Groups (NTWGs), composed of national stakeholders, from the Government UN and private sector, that ensure continued participation and support throughout and beyond the project life cycle. The NTWGs also ensure that IPC implementation is consistent with national capacities and regional strategies, provide coordination with the regional support team and other countries through regional meetings and multi-agency consultations.

Phase 1 of the IPC project funded by ECHO covering six countries was successfully completed in March 2013 with the successful rollout of the tool in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Cambodia, Nepal and Afghanistan. Under the 2014 - 2018 Global Strategic Programme (GSP), the IPC was further expanded to Timor Leste and Myanmar.

The region is a pioneer in the implementation of the top priorities of the IPC GSP 2014-2018. The IPC Chronic Food Insecurity Analysis has been rolled out in Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines, Pakistan, Cambodia, Timor Leste and Afghanistan (upcoming); piloting of the IPC Nutrition Classification took place in Bangladesh in August 2014 and the second pilot took place in Pakistan in July 2017 and Afghanistan in December 2017.

Quality and Compliance Reviews of IPC products and processes were then conducted in Nepal, Afghanistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, and Pakistan in an effort to streamline IPC country level activities with global standards. Follow up with the country teams is currently underway to ensure continued progress in the country level. The national capacity on IPC analysis has also grown over the years through the IPC Certification process. Some of the project’s notable achievements include over 100 Level 1 Certified Analysts across the region, and more than 10 Level 2 Trainers.

IPC results have been used in various policy documents and briefs including the Economic Survey in Pakistan and the IPC Chronic has been proposed as a major policy-planning tool in the Philippines. As a result, Governments have publicly requested IPC Asia to further establish and consolidate the IPC in these countries and continue with further trainings and IPC analytical cycles. The successful piloting of the IPC activities in the region has also attracted the attention of other countries like Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, who informally contacted IPC Asia with a request for IPC to be introduced. Phase 2 of the IPC Asia Project focuses on countries in 2 distinct phases: a consolidation phase to strengthen and build on the platform laid down in the pilot phase; and an expansion phase to expand IPC in countries that have already requested to introduce the IPC (Bhutan, India, Timor Leste, and Laos) as well as in other countries that can be identified by the IPC Global Partners.

For more information about IPC in Asia, please contact:

Mr. Feroz Ahmed

IPC Regional Coordinator for Asia

IPC Global Support Unit (IPC GSU)

Hosted at 39 Phra Athit Rd, Chana Songkhram,

Bangkok 10200, Thailand

[email protected]