Pre-positioning of food aid in Humanitarian Logistics: Case: Djibouti Humanitarian Base
Adan, Muna (2015)
Adan, Muna
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2015
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015060111783
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015060111783
Tiivistelmä
This study examines the possible benefits provided and challenges encountered by the World Food Programme in prepositioning food items in the Horn of Africa. As the World Food Pro-gramme (WFP) enters into its final phase of developing a Djibouti Humanitarian Logistics base for the Horn of Africa, it is crucial the organization is entirely prepared. This study also investi-gates the role the local community will have in contributing to the facility and in disaster man-agement in general. The objective of the research is to present the World Food Programme with recommendations to assure the success of the Djibouti facility.
The theoretical issues discussed consist of concepts, theories and models related to supply chain and logistics management, humanitarian supply chain and logistics, disaster manage-ment, disaster preparedness, stock pre-positioning and, briefly, the concept of participation and engagement in disaster relief.
Primary and secondary resources were used to answer the research questions. The research was completed in two qualitative phases, by qualitatively interviewing three experts closely related to the subject and carrying out a rigorous desktop research.
The study showed that there are quite many benefits and challenges linked to the pre-positioning of food items in the Horn of Africa. Some benefits uncovered were the reducing costs for the WFP while delivering more quickly to an area of high demand. Some of the chal-lenges identified included the high costs of warehousing and the obstacles of land ownership in some parts of the region. Also uncovered were some ways the local community can con-tribute to the World Food Programme and the Djibouti facility, as well as the overall beneficial outcomes of local community participation. Lastly, the absolute need to engage local popula-tions in disaster management was uncovered.
Recommendations specific to the pre-positioning of food items and local population participa-tion were presented based on the information uncovered in the two stages to ensure the suc-cess of the WFP’s Djibouti Humanitarian Logistics base.
The theoretical issues discussed consist of concepts, theories and models related to supply chain and logistics management, humanitarian supply chain and logistics, disaster manage-ment, disaster preparedness, stock pre-positioning and, briefly, the concept of participation and engagement in disaster relief.
Primary and secondary resources were used to answer the research questions. The research was completed in two qualitative phases, by qualitatively interviewing three experts closely related to the subject and carrying out a rigorous desktop research.
The study showed that there are quite many benefits and challenges linked to the pre-positioning of food items in the Horn of Africa. Some benefits uncovered were the reducing costs for the WFP while delivering more quickly to an area of high demand. Some of the chal-lenges identified included the high costs of warehousing and the obstacles of land ownership in some parts of the region. Also uncovered were some ways the local community can con-tribute to the World Food Programme and the Djibouti facility, as well as the overall beneficial outcomes of local community participation. Lastly, the absolute need to engage local popula-tions in disaster management was uncovered.
Recommendations specific to the pre-positioning of food items and local population participa-tion were presented based on the information uncovered in the two stages to ensure the suc-cess of the WFP’s Djibouti Humanitarian Logistics base.