The World Food Programme (WFP) has four major types of operations:

• Emergency operations (EMOPs) provide immediate assistance. When there is an emergency, WFP quickly establishes how much food assistance is needed and the best way to deliver it to the hungry. To do this we work with UN Emergency Assessment Teams. On the basis of the assessment, we draw up a detailed plan of action and budget.

• Protracted relief and recovery operations (PRROs) rebuild after an emergency. A protracted crisis disrupts food production and destroys the foundations of people's livelihoods, eroding the social fabric of families and communities. With public institutions often in ruins, people must fend for themselves -- against the odds.

• Development operations (DEVs) improve food security for communities. WFP development food aid helps the hungry escape from the poverty trap. Only by investing in people and their access to resources can we be sure they will remain food secure -- in lean seasons as well as harvest time.

• Special operations (SOs) create the specific infrastructure needed for Emergency Operations. WFP draws-up Special Operations to speed-up the movement of food aid, regardless of whether the food is provided by the Agency itself. Typically, they involve logistics and infrastructure work and are designed to overcome operational bottlenecks. As the UN's leading logistics agency, WFP is well placed to resolve these problems.

Looking for a specific operation? Visit the WFP Operations Database.