Supply chain
- US$1.4 billion
- worth of food procured
- 2.6 million
- metric tons of food delivered
- US$2.18 billion
- in cash and voucher transfers
The World Food Programme (WFP) operates the world’s largest humanitarian supply chain. Every day, we plan, procure, transport, store and deliver safe, nutritious food to millions of people around the world. Operating a global logistics network that spans land, air and sea, WFP ensures that assistance reaches those in need quickly and efficiently, even in the most remote and challenging places. In 2024, we reached 124 million people in over 100 countries.
How does WFP’s supply chain deliver food?
WFP’s supply chain is made up of four key steps. With around 70 percent of humanitarian funding spent on supply chains, every step is designed to get food to where it’s needed most - fast and efficiently.
Planning
Good planning is critical for WFP supply chain operations. We use advanced analytics and innovative digital tools to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations – saving money, reducing emissions and avoiding food loss. Four digital platforms – Prisma, SCOUT, Route the Meals and Optimus – help us plan in real time, identify and manage risks and deliver efficiently. In 2024, our planning tools saved us around US$3 million – equivalent to 3.75 million additional meals.
Procurement
Procurement powers WFP’s work – from food to fuel, trucks to technology – ensuring we source what we need, when we need it, from the right suppliers and at the best value. In 2024, WFP purchased over US$2.55 billion in food, goods and services from across 153 countries, guided by a commitment to buying smart, planning strategically, working with smallholder farmers and supporting local markets. By buying food as close as possible to the communities we support, we improve efficiency and keep costs low.
Transport and storage
WFP’s logistics network is one of the largest and most agile in the humanitarian world. We operate a fleet of trucks to reach communities in remote and rugged locations, use ships to move massive volumes of food, and deploy aircraft to transport supplies and food in emergencies - especially when roads are cut off. We also rely on rail, riverboats, commercial transporters and specialized vehicles like HERPS, to navigate floods, snow, sand and other extreme terrain. By combining our global fleet with local transport options, WFP ensures life-saving assistance reaches people wherever they are. WFP also operates a global network of 600 warehouses and logistics hubs to store food.
Delivery
WFP’s supply chain only ends once food and other essential items reach the people who need them. To cover this last mile, we work with nearly 1,000 local partners to deliver assistance and ensure that supplies reach vulnerable communities safely. Where markets are functioning, we also provide cash transfers and vouchers – giving people the flexibility to buy the supplies they need while boosting local economies. WFP tracks every shipment of food to better coordinate with partners, increase efficiency and ensure it is moved and stored safely.
WFP’s supply chain in emergencies
When a crisis strikes, WFP is on the ground in less than 72 hours to assess critical food needs. Within days, we begin coordinating with a range of partners – including governments, suppliers and local communities – to establish supply sources and routes, manage cross-border shipments and organize convoys to ensure uninterrupted aid delivery.
When a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar in March 2025, we provided emergency food and cash assistance to 400,000 people in the first few weeks. Operating an efficient supply chain is equally critical in protracted emergencies. In Sudan, for example, WFP continues to deliver life-saving food and nutrition assistance in all 18 states, despite widespread insecurity and access constraints.
How WFP supports humanitarian partners
WFP’s global reach, together with our 60 years of experience delivering food assistance to people in some of the planet’s most remote and insecure regions, make us ideally placed to help other humanitarian partners reach them too. To do this, we make our services and expertise available to United Nations agencies, NGOs and governments.
WFP also manages the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, which provides safe and reliable transport for aid workers and the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot which buys, stores and dispatches relief supplies for partners from five global hubs. The WFP-led Logistics Cluster provides coordination and information management during emergency responses and enables access to logistics services.
