Anticipatory Action
FAO is forging a way for a faster, more effective humanitarian system by shifting from disaster response to anticipation.
Anticipatory action is changing the way we manage disasters. Acting ahead of crises means protecting people's lives and livelihoods with benefits that reach far into the future.
Disasters are predictable. Thanks to technological advances, early warning information is more accurate and readily available than ever before. The FAO anticipatory action approach uses risk analysis and forecasts to trigger interventions
before a crisis escalates into a humanitarian emergency. This is particularly critical in the agriculture sector. For small-scale farmers, heeding early warning signals can make the difference between a shock and a crisis.
Related links
News
News
Window to prevent famine in Yemen is narrowing; UN agencies warn
03/12/2020
Levels of hunger reach record levels, requiring urgent action
News
Anticipatory action for COVID-19: building systems that protect livelihoods throughout a pandemic
05/08/2020
The impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis on food systems are vast and varied, and as of yet hard to predict. But nowhere are they...
News
Zimbabwe: Belgium supports anticipatory action project
22/07/2020
Belgium contributes to an anticipatory action project aimed at enhancing the food security and nutrition of populations affected by COVID-19 in Zimbabwe
Publications
Publications
La Niña: Anticipatory Action and Response Plan, September–December 2024
09/2024
Following the 2023−2024 El Niño event and the current El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral state, La Niña (ENSO cool phase) is anticipated to...
Publications
Tajikistan: Project Highlights – OSRO/TAJ/200/GER
07/2024
The Government of Germany contributed USD 132 104 to enhance anticipatory emergency response capacity for improved food security of populations living...
Technical report
Setting up a drought Anticipatory Action trigger mechanism
07/2024
An Anticipatory Action approach seeks to identify multiple windows of opportunity for action throughout the duration of predictable shocks, such as...
Multimedia
Photo collection
Mali: Anticipatory Actions to mitigate the risk of floods in the Sahel
20/02/2024
In 2022, flooding had devastating consequences in the Sahel, destroying the livelihoods of 1.4 million people and affecting more than 2.7 million ha...
Video
Anticipatory Actions to mitigate the impact of floods in the Sahel
16/04/2024
In 2022, West Africa experienced some of the worst flooding on record. Millions lost their homes. Thousands lost their lives. The heavy rainfall destroyed...
Photo collection
Niger: Anticipatory Actions to mitigate the impact of floods
19/02/2024
Thanks to funding from the German Federal Foreign Office, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing Anticipatory...