Call for Expression of Interest: SO1 Nutrition Activities (Somalia)

The World Food Programme (WFP) is inviting proposals to implement nutrition activities under its Garowe Area Office in Somalia, covering Nugaal, Mudug, Bari and Sool. The programme seeks partners to deliver timely lifesaving nutrition assistance while strengthening resilience, self-reliance, adequate nutrition and diversified livelihoods among food-insecure and crisis-affected populations, particularly vulnerable women, children and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls.

About the WFP Nutrition Programme

The World Food Programme is seeking implementing partners to support nutrition interventions in regions covered by the Garowe Area Office.

The programme responds to Somalia’s prolonged nutrition crisis, which is driven by multiple overlapping challenges, including:

• Recurring droughts and other climatic shocks.
• Conflict and insecurity.
• Population displacement.
• Disease outbreaks.
• Limited access to health, nutrition and WASH services.
• Declining humanitarian assistance and funding.

The programme combines emergency nutrition support with resilience-building approaches so that vulnerable populations can meet immediate nutritional needs while improving their ability to withstand future shocks.

Geographic Coverage

The activities will be implemented in four regions of Somalia:

Applicants should demonstrate the operational capacity, local knowledge and community relationships needed to implement nutrition activities effectively in these areas.

Why the Programme Matters

Somalia continues to experience a severe and prolonged nutrition crisis.

Approximately 1.9 million children aged 6–59 months are affected by acute malnutrition, including around 500,000 children experiencing severe acute malnutrition.

Reduced humanitarian funding has disrupted essential health, nutrition and WASH services, increasing risks for vulnerable groups, particularly:

• Children.
• Pregnant women.
• Breastfeeding women and girls.
• Food-insecure households.
• Crisis-affected communities.
• Displaced populations.

The WFP programme therefore seeks to combine lifesaving nutrition assistance, protection, accountability and resilience-building rather than addressing nutrition needs in isolation.

Key Focus Areas

The programme covers a broad range of nutrition and resilience priorities, including:

• Nutrition.
• Infant and young child feeding.
• Prevention and treatment of malnutrition.
• Micronutrient support.
• General nutrition services.
• Crisis response.
• Food and nutrition assistance.
• Shock anticipation and response.
• Resilience building.
• Self-reliance.
• Adequate nutrition.
• Diversified livelihoods.
• Protection.
• Accountability to affected populations.
• Equality and inclusion.
• Environmental sustainability.

Crisis Response Outcome

A central programme objective is to improve access to timely lifesaving food and nutrition assistance for people affected by crises.

The programme is designed not only to provide immediate assistance but also to help vulnerable populations:

• Anticipate shocks.
• Cope with emergencies.
• Recover from crises.
• Maintain access to adequate nutrition.
• Reduce vulnerability to future shocks.

This approach is particularly important in communities repeatedly affected by climate-related emergencies, conflict and displacement.

Resilience and Self-Reliance

The programme also has a longer-term resilience component.

Food-insecure and at-risk populations, particularly women, should be supported to improve:

• Self-reliance.
• Adequate nutrition.
• Livelihood diversification.
• Household resilience.
• Capacity to cope with recurring shocks.

The objective is to connect humanitarian nutrition assistance with pathways that can help households become more resilient and economically secure.

Integrated Programme Approach

WFP expects nutrition activities to be implemented through a people-centred and integrated approach.

Nutrition interventions should consider the wider factors affecting people’s wellbeing, including:

• Food security.
• Protection.
• Access to essential services.
• Livelihoods.
• Gender equality.
• Accountability.
• Environmental sustainability.
• Community resilience.

This integrated approach can help ensure that nutrition assistance addresses both immediate needs and the underlying vulnerabilities that contribute to poor nutrition outcomes.

Who Should Apply?

The call is intended for organizations capable of implementing nutrition activities in the programme’s target areas.

Strong proposals should demonstrate:

• Relevant nutrition programming experience.
• Knowledge of local communities.
• Capacity to reach vulnerable populations.
• Ability to deliver assistance on time.
• Experience working in humanitarian or crisis settings.
• Capacity to integrate protection and accountability considerations.
• Ability to monitor programme results.
• Appropriate financial and operational management systems.

Organizations should also demonstrate the ability to work effectively with communities and relevant stakeholders.

Priority Beneficiary Groups

The programme prioritizes people experiencing acute food insecurity and malnutrition.

Particular attention is expected for:

• Children aged 6–59 months.
• Children experiencing acute malnutrition.
• Pregnant women.
• Breastfeeding women and girls.
• Food-insecure households.
• Crisis-affected populations.
• Other vulnerable and underserved groups.

How the Programme Works

Step 1: Identify Vulnerable Populations

Implementing partners should help identify populations facing the greatest food security and nutrition risks.

Step 2: Deliver Timely Nutrition Assistance

Nutrition interventions should reach vulnerable populations quickly, particularly during periods of crisis or heightened nutritional risk.

Step 3: Support Infant and Young Child Nutrition

Activities should address appropriate infant and young child feeding and other measures that contribute to improved nutritional outcomes.

Step 4: Connect Nutrition With Protection

Programme delivery should incorporate protection considerations and ensure that vulnerable beneficiaries can safely access assistance.

Step 5: Strengthen Accountability

Partners should establish accessible mechanisms through which communities can provide feedback, raise concerns and participate in programme implementation.

Step 6: Build Resilience

Where appropriate, activities should connect immediate nutrition support with longer-term resilience, self-reliance and diversified livelihood opportunities.

Step 7: Monitor Results

Implementing partners should track programme performance and nutritional outcomes and use evidence to improve implementation.

Environmental Sustainability and Equality

WFP expects nutrition programming to incorporate environmental sustainability, equality and protection.

Programme approaches should seek to ensure that vulnerable and underserved populations can access assistance without discrimination and that implementation considers environmental impacts.

Gender considerations are also important, particularly because women and girls can face heightened food security and nutrition vulnerabilities during crises.

Key Expected Outcomes

The programme is structured around two major outcomes.

Crisis response: Crisis-affected populations gain improved access to timely lifesaving food and nutrition assistance and are better able to anticipate, cope with and recover from shocks.

Resilience building: Food-insecure and at-risk populations, particularly women, improve their self-reliance, adequate nutrition and diversified livelihoods while becoming more resilient to recurring shocks.

Common Proposal Considerations

Applicants should ensure that proposals clearly explain:

• The communities and beneficiaries they intend to reach.
• Their experience delivering nutrition interventions.
• Their operational presence and implementation capacity.
• How activities will respond to local nutritional needs.
• How vulnerable groups will be included.
• How protection and accountability will be integrated.
• How results will be monitored.
• How nutrition activities connect with resilience and self-reliance.
• How environmental sustainability will be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the WFP nutrition opportunity in Somalia?

It is an opportunity for organizations to support the implementation of nutrition activities under the WFP Garowe Area Office, combining lifesaving nutrition assistance with resilience-building interventions.

Which areas are covered?

The programme covers Nugaal, Mudug, Bari and Sool in Somalia.

What nutrition activities are included?

The focus includes nutrition, infant and young child feeding, prevention and treatment of malnutrition, micronutrients and broader nutrition interventions.

Who are the main beneficiaries?

The programme prioritizes acutely food-insecure and malnourished populations, including vulnerable children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and girls, and other crisis-affected groups.

Does the programme only provide emergency assistance?

No. The programme combines crisis response with resilience building, helping vulnerable populations meet immediate nutritional needs while improving self-reliance and their ability to cope with future shocks.

How are women supported?

Women, particularly those experiencing food insecurity and vulnerability, are prioritized under the resilience-building component, which aims to improve adequate nutrition, self-reliance and diversified livelihoods.

What cross-cutting issues must be considered?

Programme delivery should integrate protection, accountability, equality and environmental sustainability, alongside nutrition and food security objectives.

Conclusion

The WFP nutrition programme under the Garowe Area Office seeks to address Somalia’s persistent nutrition crisis through a combination of timely lifesaving assistance and longer-term resilience building. Implementing partners will play an important role in reaching vulnerable populations across Nugaal, Mudug, Bari and Sool while strengthening nutrition outcomes, protection, accountability, self-reliance and the capacity of communities to withstand recurring shocks.