Procurement

How procurement supports humanitarian assistance

From food to fuel, trucks to tech, the World Food Programme (WFP) sources its supplies cost-effectively, fairly and transparently from international or local suppliers, ensuring we have the goods and services essential for our global humanitarian operations.

In 2024, WFP bought more than US$1.4 million metric tons of food - mainly cereals, pulses and specialized nutritious food - in 153 countries. For food to reach people, we also procure an array of goods and services, including vehicles and spare parts, technical equipment and services, temporary and permanent infrastructure, storage and insurance.

For cash-assistance operations in 2024, we purchased US$1.96 in cash-based transfers. This was spent in local retail markets, boosting economies and people’s incomes.  

How WFP ensures procurement is efficient and cost-effective

To ensure WFP has enough safe and nutritious food to deliver to those who need it – including anticipating future demand – we combine our expertise in economics, business, procurement and market intelligence analysis to source supplies as effectively as possible.  

For example, we buy certain food as soon as it is harvested, when supplies are high and prices low. We also source goods as close as possible to where they are needed, buying from international, regional or local markets to minimize delivery times and costs. We secure contracts and discounts for bulk purchases of main commodities at favourable prices, and establish long-term contracts with suppliers so that we can buy quickly during emergencies. This smart purchasing enables WFP to buy more for less, maximizing the number of people we can help.

How WFP procurement supports local communities

Local growers, suppliers and markets are essential to WFP operations. In 2025, 68  percent of the food we purchased – over 1.3 million metric tons – was sourced from local and regional markets, with US$54 million bought from smallholder farmers.

Sourcing from local and regional markets injects cash into local economies, creating jobs and raising incomes. This support helps build the resilience of local supply chains to crises. Examples include buying sorghum in Mali and Sudan and maize meal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Syria, in spite of the conflict, we buy 100 percent of the salt we need for our operations from national producers, while helping them raise the quality of their product in order to meet international procurement standards.