The Timeliness and Cost-Effectiveness of the Local and Regional Procurement of Food Aid
Posted: 10 Jul 2015
Date Written: September 2013
Abstract
Local and regional procurement (LRP) of food aid is often claimed to lead to quicker and more cost-effective response. We generate timeliness and cost-effectiveness estimates by comparing US-funded LRP activities in nine countries against in-kind, transoceanic food aid shipments from the US to the same countries during the same timeframe. Procuring food locally or distributing cash or vouchers results in a time savings of nearly 14 weeks, a 62 percent gain.
Cost-effectiveness varies significantly by commodity type. Procuring grains locally saved over 50 percent, on average, while local procurement of processed commodities was not always cost-effective.
Keywords: Emergency response, Food assistance, Foreign aid, Humanitarian aid
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