Asia-Pacific Social Protection Week: WFP urges stronger safety nets to protect food security and nutrition across the region

At the Asia and the Pacific Social Protection Week, hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila from 6 to 8 October, WFP will highlight how well-designed social protection systems can act as a first line of defense against shocks induced by conflict, disasters, and weather extremes and help families meet their food needs before, during, and after an emergency. 

“A flood, drought, or sudden economic shock can wipe out a family’s progress in a matter of days,” said Samir Wanmali, WFP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “Social protection systems that are inclusive, nutrition-sensitive and ready to expand during a crisis can prevent a temporary shock from becoming a lasting setback.”

This Asia and the Pacific Social Protection Week aims to bring governments, development partners, and other stakeholders together to take stock of progress, showcase practical solutions and share good practices to build inclusive, resilient, and sustainable social protection systems across the region. Throughout the week, WFP will leverage the agency’s experience of supporting 16 governments across Asia and the Pacific to highlight practical ways to make social protection systems more efficient, financially sustainable, and able to expand rapidly during crises – even as governments face constrained budgets. This is especially urgent as an unprecedented El Niño threatens to significantly worsen food insecurity in the region.

“Across Asia and the Pacific, governments have shown that social protection can reduce hunger and protect hard-won development gains,” said Wanmali. “The next step is to scale up proven approaches and ensure they can respond before a crisis pushes families deeper into hunger and poverty.”

WFP’s participation will underscore that stronger social protection is not only a response to crises, but an investment in food security, resilience and long-term development across Asia and the Pacific. 

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About WFP:

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of weather extremes.

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