Famine in Africa: Improving Emergency Food Relief Programs
NSIAD-86-25
Published: Mar 04, 1986. Publicly Released: Mar 04, 1986.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed the Agency for International Development's (AID) fiscal year 1984 emergency food program for drought-stricken Africa to determine program results and to evaluate program management.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Agency for International Development | The Administrator, AID, in order to improve the prospects for emergency food to reach those most seriously affected by famine, should require missions to review and approve cooperating sponsors' plans for distributing emergency food prior to its arrival. Missions should ensure that distribution plans specify the: (1) geographic areas or categories of people that will receive aid; (2) amount each area or group will receive; and (3) transportation and distribution networks to be used. |
Closed – Implemented
On August 27, 1987, AID informed GAO that revisions to chaper 9 of its Food for Peace Manual will include the GAO suggested changes. Revisions to the handbook will not be finalized until after the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 1988. Because of the length of time this recommendation has been open and the uncertain completion date, GAO is closing this recommendation.
|
| U.S. Agency for International Development | The Administrator, AID, in order to improve the prospects for emergency food to reach those most seriously affected by famine, should require missions to submit emergency food requests as early as possible and, where appropriate, should encourage missions to submit partial requests based on preliminary estimates of cereal needs, and follow up with supplemental requests once needs are better known. |
Closed – Implemented
On August 27, 1987, AID informed GAO that revisions to chapter 9 of its Food for Peace Manual will include the GAO suggested changes. Revisions to the handbook will not be finalized until after the first quarter of FY 1988. Because of the length of time this recommendation has been open and the uncertain completion date, GAO is closing this recommendation.
|
| U.S. Agency for International Development | The Administrator, AID, in order to improve the prospects for emergency food to reach those most seriously affected by famine, should strengthen AID Handbook 9 standards for monitoring emergency food. Such standards should specify the extent and type of monitoring needed to ensure proper accounting for commodities sold or distributed free, including visits to storage facilities, regional and local distribution sites, and villages. |
Closed – Implemented
On August 27, 1987, AID informed GAO that revisions to chapter 9 of its Food for Peace Manual will include the GAO suggested changes. Revisions to the handbook will not be finalizied until after the first quarter of FY 1988. Because of the length of time this recommendation has been open and the uncertain completion date, GAO is closing this recommendation.
|
| U.S. Agency for International Development | The Administrator, AID, should direct the AID Inspector General (IG) to review Public Law 480 food programs in Somalia; this would provide additional information on the results of title I and II food programs and identify needed improvements. |
Closed – Implemented
The January 27, 1987, AID Inspector General report stated that improvements were made in monitoring and commodities warehousing conditions reported by GAO, but recommended a $10 million reduction in the Title I program due to overprogramming, commodity delivery before harvest time to avoid disincentive, and measures to avoid government interference in commodity auction to the private sector.
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Topics
Developing countriesDisaster relief aidDroughtsFamineFederal aid to foreign countriesForeign aid programsForeign economic assistanceInternational food programsProgram managementTransportation planning