Food Security Cluster
District Focal Point Mechanism
Orientation Workshop
Satkhira, Barguna, Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka
June - July 2014
Funded by ECHO
Workshop Objectives
By Line Rindebaek
Cluster Coordinator
Key Objectives:
 Explain what the role of Food Security Cluster and how we fit within the
Disaster Coordination Mechanism in Bangladesh
 Explain the role of the District Focal Points
 How can we strengthen coordination on food security, support the DC and
DDMC and strengthen disaster preparedness?
First Half of Workshop – Background:
‒ The Cluster System and The Food Security Cluster (FSC)
‒ The Bangladesh Coordination Mechanism
‒ The District Focal Point Mechanism
Second Half of Workshop – FSC Tools and Resources:
‒ Assessment
‒ Information Management
‒ IPC
The Cluster System
Worldwide
FAO and WFP are
FSC Co-Leads:
‒ Responsible for
the leadership,
coordination and
facilitation of
food security
sector
The Cluster System
- in Bangladesh
Late 2011, the Local Consultative Group
on Disaster Emergency Response (LCG
DER) agreed on the need to strengthen
its ability to respond and to coordinate
disaster management and to concentrate
on preparedness.
8 clusters are currently
functioning in the country:
24 January, 2012 LCG DER:
 Created a new coordination
Early
platform: Humanitarian
Recovery
Coordination Task Team (HCTT),
mandated to focus on emergency
preparedness and response.
WASH
 Endorsed the roll-out of clusters (to
ensure improved coordination
between key stakeholders government, development partnersEducation
along sector lines) – including at
district level.
Shelter
Health
Logistics
Nutrition
HCTT
Food
Security
Disaster Coordination Bangladesh
Links to GoB Bodies:
NDMC, IMDMCC,
NDRC, LGIs
Where does
FSC fit in?
LCGs Plenary
STRATEGIC / DEVELOPMENT
DER
HCTT
18 Local Consultative Groups (LCGs)
Ag. & Food
Education
Food
Security
Education
Nutrition
Health
WASH
Early
Recovery
FAO / WFP
UNICEF / SCI
UNICEF
WHO
UNICEF
UNDP
Logistics
Shelter
WFP
UNDP / IFRC
HUMANITARIAN WORK
Health
WATSAN
Poverty
HCTT composition:
Co-Chairs - DDM and RCO
7 Cluster leads
3 INGO representatives
1 NGO representative
2 Donor representatives
Donors and UN Agencies are
organised under umbrella of Local
LCG Disaster and Emergency
Response (LCG – DER):
The LCG DER works to increase the
effectiveness of its members’ disaster
preparedness and response efforts
Consultative Groups (LCGs)
to coordinate with GoB on
development issues.
LCG Agriculture, Food
Security and Rural
Development (LCG-AFSRD):
‒
Deals with development
issues.
‒ Co-chairs: MoA and FAO.
FSC reports back to LCG AFSRD to
link humanitarian work to
strategic development priorities of
Bangladesh.
Humanitarian Coordination Task Team:
Coordination body created by LCG DER (January 2012) where GoB
(Department of Disaster Management/DDM) and Development Partners
/ Humanitarian Actors (Cluster Leads, 1 INGO, 2 Donors) from 8 Clusters
come together to coordinate:
- humanitarian preparedness
- humanitarian response.
 Co-chairs: DG of DDM and Humanitarian Advisor to RC.
 The HCCT provides guidance to FSC and other clusters and is the
forum where common strategic issues are discussed. Decisions on
strategic issues are taken by LCG DER.
 It is also HCTT who decides if an emergency is serious enough to
trigger a Joint Needs Assessment (JNA).
Food Security Cluster
Bangladesh
The Starting Point:
The Food Security Cluster (FSC) was initially established in Bangladesh in
early 2012 to:
‒ Support to the Government and LCG DER on preparedness and
response in times of emergencies.
‒ Strengthen the collective capacity of humanitarian actors.
‒ Streamline and coordinate needs assessments and assistance.
Today:
FSC Bangladesh has four pillars / areas we focus on:
‒
‒
‒
‒
Coordination & Preparedness
Information Management
Needs Assessment
IPC (Food Security Baseline)
Food Security Cluster
Key Roles
Support national capabilities
Food Security Cluster
(FSC) work to ensure
coordinated action
during a crisis
Ensure a strategic, timely, and
effective food security response
 What still needs to be done
 Where it needs to be done
 Information
management / 4Ws
and gap analysis
Making sure we all – in an
emergency - know:
where
 Convene meetings
 Needs
assessments
Avoid gaps and duplication
 who is doing what and
 Preparedness
Improve quality and
accountability
standardising food
rations
Set norms and standards
Food Security Cluster
Emergency Preparedness
FSC contingency
plan for cyclones
In April 2013, the FSC
Technical Working Group
(TWG) started work on the
“Contingency Plan for
Cyclones in the South”
 “one stop shop”
Reference Document (30
annexes)
 Quick Reference “ABC
Guideline” (chapter 5)
 See hard copy
It includes details of:
 FSC objectives
 Coordination mechanisms + actors + their role in an
emergency response
 What FSC activities before and after a cyclone
 Mahasen Lessons  the District Focal Point
mechanism
 Mahasen Lessons  FSC response plan: standardised
food and cash transfer details and agricultural
packages;
 Needs assessment details
 FSC member and donor capacity (staff, funds and
training)
A key component of the Contingency Plan is the need
to have District Focal Points to ensure coordination
among members at sub-national level
Technical Working Group prepared TORs & List for 14
districts)
District Focal Point Mechanism
Objectives
Who are the District Focal
Points in your district and do
you know how to contact
them?
FSC District Focal
Points in 14
districts in the
cyclone belt will
work to:
Voluntary position
– no dedicated funding
available
Improve and
institutionalize
coordination (and
information sharing)
on food security
Support DC and DDMC
with coordination of
food security
emergency responses
Strengthen overall
Food Security Cluster
coordination and
information sharing,
particularly in the
event of preparing for
and responding to an
emergency.
By organising regular
meetings, sharing minutes,
maintaining contact lists
and sharing FSC tools
Just one FSC focal point
coordinating with the
Government  ease the
work of the Government
officials (especially the
UNOs).
By improving
communication from the
field to Dhaka level.
Preparedness  by
collecting important
information on district level
capacity
FSC response  by
providing inputs on needs
and gaps at district level
Bangladesh Disaster Response
Coordination & Communication
LCG DER January
2012:
…Strengthen local
level coordination
and making sure
coordination
capacity is there. Food Security
Cluster
HCTT
Where does
DFPs fit in?

DDMC*
District
Level
Coordination
District
Focal Point
Regular Coordination & Communication
GoB
Counterpart
DDMC:
1) Meet in the different
phases of disasters
(preparedness, response
and recovery)
2) Accountable to the SoD
3) Clusters’ counterparts
members of DDMC
DFP Key Activities
April – July
 Key stakeholders – arrange meetings.
FSC District Focal
Point “Start-Up
Phase” in April-July
2014 with activities
to help prepare for
an emergency:
 Establish district contact list:
 Agree on a regular "food security"
coordination (monthly / quarterly)
 Agree on information sharing system
 Ensure awareness of the contingency
plan (standardised food rations)
 Assess the district level response capacity
 Activity Checklist
Overview [Hand-out]
Food Security Cluster
DFP Emergency Coordination:
During an emergency DFPs will work to:
 Ensure coordination with all key stakeholders on food security
matters at district level.
 Identify capacity, gaps and needs at district level in coordination
with DC and DDMC.
 Prepare local response plan that complements the initial GoB
response (prevent duplication and gaps).
 Coordinate with key stakeholders across other sectors / clusters.
 Activity Overview Hand-out
 Contingency Plan, Chapter 4 & 5
Food Security Cluster
District Coordination
“Not only a disaster coordination mechanism”
 Platform for overall coordination on food security:
‒ Humanitarian response (sudden onset and slow onset)
‒ Humanitarian preparedness (contingency planning etc.)
‒ Longer-term development issues related to food security
 Regular Meetings:
‒ Quarterly meetings during non-cyclone season/ in nondisaster time (or as required).
‒ DFPs should organize monthly meetings with the key
stakeholders in food security at district level during cyclone
season (or as required).
 Activity Overview Hand-out
 Contingency Plan, Chapter 4 & 5
DISCUSSION
Any Questions
Group Work
Key
Focus:
How do we improve
coordination on food
security at district level in
an emergency?
How can the Food Security
Cluster & District Focal Point
mechanism support the key
functions of the DDMC and
strengthen disaster
preparedness?
Each Group – 30 minutes:
How do you visualise the food security cluster district focal point (DFP) coordination
mechanism working?
1. Outline the 3 key benefits of having a Food Security Cluster District Focal Point in both
“peace time” and during an Emergency.
2. Outline 3 possible challenges in rolling out the DFP mechanism (i.e. one DFP will
represent all Food Security Cluster members in the district when coordinating with
GoB counterparts and DDMC).
3. Highlight 3 possible solutions to these challenges.
4. What is the minimum commitment at district level from 1) DFPs, 2) NGOs and 3)
Government counterparts needed to ensure DFP coordination mechanism will be a
success?
 Please write on Flip Chart in English
 Please select one person from each group to present the group work.
Group Work Discussions:
Key Focus:
Identify the key tasks you
should undertake as a DFP:
In the “Emergency Alert
Phase”
In the “Immediate
Response Phase”
Scenario:
1) A cyclone is approaching your district.
The FSC Dhaka has activated the “Emergency
Alert Phase” in your district.
The category 5 cyclone will make landfall in 4
days.
 What are your key priorities and what
activities should you undertake?
Tools:
Contingency Plan (and
annexes)
DFP Activity Check list
2) The “category 5” cyclone made landfall in your
district yesterday and it seems a large part of the
population is affected and in need of food
assistance.
What are your priorities and what activities
should you undertake between now and the next
30 days.
 Please write on Flip Chart in English
 Please select one person from each group to
present the group work.
DISCUSSION
Future Steps &
Summary
Thank you