Niger is a landlocked country with a food deficit and is ranked among the least developed countries according to the human development index in 2021. Food insecurity and malnutrition are exacerbated by environmental degradation, recurrent climate shocks, inadequate management of natural resources, rapid population growth, as well as significant gender inequalities. The increase in insecurity linked to armed conflicts, involving non-state armed groups, contributes to worsening this situation with the consequence of forced displacement of populations.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations agency on the front line in the fight against world hunger. WFP has been working in Niger since 1968 and is currently implementing its activities under the Country Strategic Plan (PSP) 2020-2024, which has been the subject of four budget revisions over its period of implementation.[1] Through the PSP, the WFP aims to support the Government of Niger in :
- Responding to emergency situations’, assisting populations affected by shocks, as well as refugees, by, internally displaced persons and vulnerable host communities (contribution to the National Welding Response Plan, rapid response mechanism MRR, etc, assistance in areas of prolonged displacement). This component includes interventions for FOOD assistance’ (in the form of food or cash transfers), as well as prevention and management of moderate acute malnutrition in the’ emergency zone ;
- Building resilience of vulnerable populationsfood insecurity and climate shocks by implementing integrated activities to combat environmental degradation, protect livelihoods and support the empowerment of communities in the longer term, and strengthen human capital through a combination of activities in the areas of rural development, nutrition, and education. This intervention package, currently deployed in more than 2,000 villages, is implemented in close collaboration with government technical services and partners with comparative advantages complementary to those of WFP. It includes food assistance activities for asset creation, support for small producers to enable them to better structure themselves and access markets, an ambitious school feeding program,and’a community-based malnutrition prevention package (model FARN).
- Operationalize the Humanitarian-Development Nexus, with the aim of promoting durable solutions in fragile buffer zones. In areas where this is possible, it is a question of initiating the transition from emergency assistance to an integrated resilience intervention package supplemented by social cohesion activities and sensitive to conflicts, to allow local actors ( displaced as hosts ) to achieve greater economic autonomy while strengthening social cohesion and reducing conflicts related to access to natural resources.
- Building the capacity of government institutions both at the national and decentralized level, including through the construction of’a system of adaptive social protection, l’ support to local sectors of nutritionally fortified products, and’attenuations and’adaptation to the effects of climate change (including risk financing mechanisms).
The’ set of these interventions are implemented in order to contribute decisively to the socio-economic advancement of women and girls, to mitigate the risks of protection, and to ensure accountability to the populations affected. The use of solution of’access and’utilisation of’energy more adapted and efficient is also promoted in a transversal way through the various programs of the WFP Niger.
In support of the government and in accordance with EARMARK 17 forging partnerships for sustainable development, WFP is developing strategic partnerships, including, operational and financial with the actors intervening on the’ all the components of its’activity portfolio. For example, on the current PSP, WFP has collaborated with nearly 60 governmental and non-governmental partners to ensure the’s achieves its objectives. As a strong supporter of the initiative Great Bargain, a global initiative to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance, WFP endorses the fundamental principles such as transparency, accountability and localization. This underscores WFP’s commitment to forge close collaborations with local and national partners, ensuring that aid is tailored to the needs and priorities of affected communities.
[ 1 ] https://www.wfp.org/operations/ne02-niger-country-strategic-plan-2020-2024
WFP is pleased to announce a Call for Manifestation of’Interest (AMI) which will be open for 21 days : from friday 03 november 2023 until friday 24 november 2023 for local and international non-governmental organizations wishing to partner with WFP to implement the Country Strategic Plans operations over the 2024 and 2025 financial years. The’AMI is a preliminary step, which will then lead to a technical call for proposals in which the pre-selected partner organisations will be invited to submit detailed offers. This AMI concerns not only partners who have never worked with WFP, but also those already under contract with WFP wishing to continue this collaboration in 2024 and 2025.
Minimum requirements to be a WFP partner in Niger
The partners we are looking for should :
- To be a non-profit organization experienced, legally authorized to operate in Niger and registered with the government for more than 3 years ;
- Have an experience’, d’at least 5 years duly justified in the field of FOOD assistance’ (live or cash transfers), and more specifically in the areas of expertise covered by the’ call for events detailed in **’ Annex 1**, including in areas of difficult’access.
- Have an office/antenna in activity in the proposed areas ;
- Be able to provide a verifiable specialization mandate, organizational chart, experience with community participation and strong documentation systems, technical knowledge and geographical presence ;
- To be able to position itself as necessary as a’leader organization in case of consortium with partners suggested by WFP, contributing to capacity building.
In addition, compliance with the following policies and guidelines is a requirement for collaboration with MAP :
- Humanitarian and’access principles, gender policy, protection, including the protection against exploitation and sexual abuse’ (PSEA), community commitment and accountability to affected persons ;
- Fight against fraud and corruption ;
- Environmental and social safeguards WFP for programme activities.
The relevant documentation should be uploaded to the’UNPP platform.
The relevant guidelines and policies related to WFP partnerships can be found on the page Resources the Platform UN Partner Portal (UNPP), accessible through this link : https://supportagency.unpartnerportal.org/hc/en-us/categories/360000087334-WFP-Partnership-Guidelines
How to be included in the WFP partner pre-selection for 2024-2025.
How to apply
If your organization meets the above criteria and wishes to collaborate with WFP in 2024 and 2025, then, we encourage you to follow the procedures listed below in order to’be shortlisted to become a cooperating partner of WFP in 2024-2025 :
- Candidate organisations must first register’ on the UNPP portal https://www.unpartnerportal.org. The’ set of required mandatory documents must be provided in order to validate the’registration.
- Once registered on the UNPP platform, candidate organizations must then respond to the call for expressions of interest on the UNPP portal, by accessing: « PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, INTEREST MANISFESTATION CALL PAM NIGER – 2024-2025» and in filling in the Excel file available on the portal.
- Candidate organizations must then send a notification by email of the submission of their application at the following email address: Niger.cpmanagement@wfp.org. The email must include a message confirming the organization’s interest in the expression of interest and the fact that the application has been submitted online.
- Attention to the closing date of the MAI: November 24, 2023.
Organizations preselected from this MAI will then be invited to take part in a technical proposal call, for inclusion in the WFP partner list for 2024 and 2025.
