WFP scoops award at mobile world congress for tackling malnutrition with real-time data

This solution currently tackles a specific nutrition monitoring case, addressing the challenges faced by humanitarians in the field by replacing paper booklets and manual data entry with digital records, enabling frontline workers to make informed decisions with real-time data.  With 51 million children world-wide suffering from acute malnutrition, and this being the underlying cause for 2.6 million deaths every year, the long-term goal is to digitize all malnutrition treatment programmes with SCOPE CODA.

The prize announcement was made at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, an annual mobile industry event bringing together mobile operators, manufacturers and regulators worldwide. 

The SCOPE CODA (Conditional On-Demand Assistance) system can work offline, in remote places with poor or no connectivity. It relies on a small device, similar to a smartphone, to read a person’s smartcard.  Once the device is online, the information is synched to WFP’s digital beneficiary transfer management platform.

Through the solution, frontline workers can for example record information; track the nutrition and health status, of a young child or a pregnant woman; identify when someone has recovered; and indicate whether the treatment has been successful.

SCOPE CODA reduces manual data entry, reporting and analysis - saving time while adding durability and security of records. Most importantly, it provides front-line workers with near to real-time information and access to the overview of a person’s progress and status, enabling better decision-making.

“It is a real honour for me receive this award on behalf of WFP, showcasing how innovation has the potential to step-change the way humanitarians work.  SCOPE CODA is a tangible step towards helping achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 through faster, transparent data-driven decision making” said Enrica Porcari, CIO and Director of the Technology.   

Launched in March 2018, with the support of WFP’s Innovation Accelerator, SCOPE CODA is currently being used in malnutrition treatment programmes for malnourished children under 5, as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers.

WFP uses SCOPE CODA in South Sudan (in collaboration with the Government, Action Against Hunger, MEDAIR and UNICEF), Uganda (with the Government and UNICEF) and Tajikistan (with the Government), with plans to roll out in other high priority countries over the next year.

                                         #                           #                            #

The United Nations World Food Programme—saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.

Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media, @WFPInnovation @enricaporcari