Introduction
Study literature shows that there are various humanitarian non-governmental organizations across the world. However, this study seeks to analyze the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The study takes into consideration their goals, achievements and failures. It also compares the activities undertaken by these agencies as well as how they operate across the globe.
Goals
The WFP is a global charitable United Nation agency. It is globally the biggest charitable agency responsible for combating food shortage. The agency supplies food where it is considered necessary during urgent situations. The organization helps in saving the emergencies’ victims from starvation. Provided the source of crisis is over, the agency uses food in assisting those who are affected in rebuilding their lives.
In this regard, the agency effectively transforms into a development agency. The contemporary goals of this agency include saving lives and protecting the living standards during urgent situations. When such emergencies are over the agency seeks to mitigate severe food shortage. It devotes resources to emergency preparedness and puts preventive measures in place.
These efforts include restituting the livelihoods of whoever is affected during crisis. In addition, the WFP aims to minimize persistent food shortage and malnutrition. From the development perspective, WFP seeks to reinforce the abilities of countries to minimize food shortage.
Essentially, the main aim of WFP is to reduce global hunger particularly in developing countries through the application of various strategies. That is, WFP is mandated to ensure considerable reduction of global hunger through the application of various strategies (Food Program 2)
The IFAD is mandated to finance farming development specifically during food production. The authority of this agency is restricted to developing countries. The agency was established to ensure that individuals who live in complete poverty have the opportunity to produce food that can sustain their livelihoods. The core goal of the agency pertains to the improvement of food production.
In fact, the production of foodstuffs is in terms of quantity and quality but these take place in the developing countries. That is, developing states produce large chunks of valuable foodstuffs to help curb emergencies. Besides, the goal of this agency is to marshal supplementary resources that may be used during crises to assist in agricultural growth within poor states.
What the agencies have done so far in specific areas
The evaluations on the effectiveness of WFP demonstrate positive outcomes in view of delivering charitable activities and growth goals. The most evident successes have been in the delivery of food to the victims during emergencies.
The achievements have contributed to the deterrence of acute food shortages hence curing malnutrition, chronic starvation and death. Most of such foodstuffs have been purchased from farmers who were initially supported by the agency after disasters occurred in Africa.
In the year 2008, WFP implemented the Purchase for Progress (P4P) initiative. It was implemented in more than 20 countries including Asia, Central America and African states. The WFP in collaboration with other partners support farmers with technical knowledge, credit and access to inputs. When agricultural products are ready, the WFP always purchase them from farmers.
Such foodstuffs are stored and distributed to other emergency cases that emerge across the globe. For instance, more than 312, 120 bags of foodstuffs prized at $121 million were bought from the planters’ groups, SME dealers, and advertising podiums (World Food Program 2).
The IFAD has made significant steps in upholding sexual parity in the developing countries. It recognizes the responsibility of females in producing foodstuffs, ensuring domestic foodstuffs safety and managing intrinsic assets.
In this regard, it reflects on the fact that women have limited access to resources that are necessary for food production. The most significant step by IFAD was achieved when the agency published and approved a document in 1992 aimed at empowering rural women and spearheading economics for advancement.
According to IFAD report, from the fiscal 1990s, the International Fund for Agricultural Development planned and executed various detached female ventures and development ingredients or actions intended for the deprived females. In the past years, the International Fund for Agricultural Development provided its local segments with approved donation funding and local sexual category programs.
They were aimed at molding competence, scientific sustenance and studying sex associated guidelines and promotion. Various areas constructed particular local sexual category plans, employment areas and state subsidy-financed programs meant to empower females and streamline masculinity (IFAD 2013, 3).
The IFAD has been successful in empowering women in Uganda and Tanzania. These countries have made tremendous steps in decentralizing their activities to allocate most governmental positions to women.
Based on this recognition, the IFAD joined hands with such governments to assist rustic women to advance economically through agriculture. The collaboration has seen governments lay infrastructures via which IFAD can easily access or accessed by women who need financial support for agricultural purposes.
What is common and what is different between these agencies
The agencies were founded under the United Nations conventions in different years. While the WFP is mandated to distribute relief food during emergencies, the IFAD is responsible for funding agricultural activities in third world countries (Kliest and Singh 68). The goal was to facilitate the supply of food to poor families in order to alleviate chronic hunger.
The WFP has been very successful in the distribution of food during emergencies and reestablished the livelihoods of victims of these tragedies. However, it has failed in its effort to promote gender equality. However, it has made significant steps in improving the lives of women and girls.
The agency has promoted the recognition of women not only as vulnerable groups, but also as essential contributors to the domestic and national food security.
The main difference between these two agencies is the approach used towards the eradication of poverty among those who are affected. Nevertheless, the WFP is not selective with respect to global location where it offers assistance provided an emergency has occurred.
The consequent beneficiaries of the programs are not selected on gender basis. Conversely, IFAD concentrates on third world countries and further narrows it operations down to women. Thus, women benefit more from IFAD support compared to men (IFAD 23).
Negative ways
The IFAD supervisory panel has been riddled with political gimmicks. The trend was set under the first president of the agency named Al-Sudeary. This was seen when he was administering funds for political gains. Apparently, he turned down the effort by 17 developing countries to create project classification and groundwork missions.
The requests were not expeditiously handled while the meeting that was supposed to follow was postponed indefinitely. The debate regarding the operation of the agency has been neglected by most Western countries.
The silence has been interpreted as a move to ensure the failure of the fund. In fact, the move by the United States to be omitted from the list of funders of the agency has been suspicious. In the context of IFAD, there are powerful principles backdrops. It has been claimed by some quarters that the establishment of the agency was aimed at preserving the capitalist structure in the developing countries (Tabolt 275).
In the context of the developing countries, the development agenda and those who are behind its implementation are aggravated by the desire to compel the developing countries to embrace the new structures of domination approved by the sponsors.
In view of the conditions that the Executive Board attaches to the funding of agricultural development in the developing countries, the growth models support the wealthy at the expense of those who are deprived. The requirement by the agency for the beneficiaries to pay interest on concessional funds is sarcastic. The fund was initially intended to benefit poor countries so that they may develop agricultural products.
The allocation of the vast resources collected from sponsors and other financial organizations is subjected to influence of Western countries. The resources are not allocated founded on the need by the recipient country. Warah observe that resources are allocated imperially with the aim of influencing the recipient to comply with certain conditions that aggravate the existing poor conditions 8.
WFP faces the challenge of environmental sustainability. The agency has resources but does not invest time and financial resources in environmental interventions in areas where it operates. The failure is a challenge for the people that the agency seeks to restore their livelihoods since they continue to exist in challenging environments. Besides, the WFP initiatives fail to engage with poor country governments.
In fact, the governments despite being poor have the potential to offer logistical support for effective operation of the agency (Warah 35). The agency has been complimented for effective response to emergencies in terms of food distribution. However, planning for transition between relief and recovery is not effective.
The agency continues to distribute food over long periods despite the fact that the victims are ready to start livelihood recovery. Finally, the agency holds consultative meetings for months or years before logistical support is supplied to the victims to start their operations again.
Conclusion
From the study, it becomes apparent that both agencies have had impacts on third world countries and tragedy victims. However, still many things must be done in order to realize the complete and deliverable capacities of these agencies.
Works Cited
IFAD. “IFAD’s Efforts and Achievements in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.” Approach Paper, 5.3(2010): 1-33. Print.
Kliest, Ted and Goberdhan Singh. “Review of the World Food Programme’s Humanitarian and Development Effectiveness.” Global Support Report, 4.1(2012): 1-78. Print.
Tabolt, Ross. “The International Fund for Agricultural Development.” Political Science Quarterly, 95.2(1980): 261-276. Print.
Warah, Rasna. The Development Myth. Milton Keynes, UK: AuthorHouse, 2008. Print.
World Food Program. Purchase for Progress: Achievements. London, UK: Sage Publishers, 2013: 1-2. Print.