## Easing Guinea’s Food Insecurity: The IMF’s Food Shock Window

_IMF News, June 20, 2024_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Easing Guinea’s Food Insecurity: The IMF’s Food Shock Window](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2024/06/20/cf-easing-guineas-food-insecurity-the-imfs-food-shock-window)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/news/articles/2024/06/20/cf-easing-guineas-food-insecurity-the-imfs-food-shock-window/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/news/articles/2024/06/20/cf-easing-guineas-food-insecurity-the-imfs-food-shock-window/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/news/articles/2024/06/20/cf-easing-guineas-food-insecurity-the-imfs-food-shock-window/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Pilar Garcia Martinez
- Published: June 20, 2024

---

### Overview
- The outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 caused international food and fertilizer prices to rise sharply, exacerbating food insecurity in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Guinea was among the worst affected.
- By late 2022, 11 percent of the Guinean population—1.2 million people—were facing acute food insecurity.
- In December 2022, Guinea received $71 million under the IMF’s Rapid Credit Facility’s Food Shock Window (FSW) to address vulnerable populations’ needs related to the food price shock.
- In December 2023, the explosion of the main fuel depot in Conakry caused loss of life, injuries, and destruction of property; the IMF’s Executive Board approved another $71 million support package under the Exogenous Shocks Window of the Rapid Credit Facility to help deal with the aftermath.

### Emergency financing and targeted uses
- Purpose: provide urgent relief through food distribution, fertilizer purchases, and cash transfers to vulnerable communities; funds were channeled through the government budget and implemented by specialized agencies.
- World Food Programme (WFP) deployment:
  - Used FSW resources to provide emergency food assistance to about 790,000 vulnerable people in crisis-affected households.
  - WFP estimates its cash and in-kind transfers program—which used FSW funds—had positive impacts on food security during the lean season, including improved consumption scores among the targeted populations.
  - School feeding programs helped to promote the schooling of young girls, addressing education and gender gaps.
- Agricultural Development Fund (FODA) deployment:
  - Financed 10,000 tonnes of corn imports that were then sold at an affordable price to operators in the poultry sector.
  - Acquired 2,500 tonnes of rice seeds and 1,300 tonnes of corn seeds distributed to farmers through seed banks in 35 major agricultural centers across Guinea.
- Nutrition and vulnerable support:
  - In-kind distribution of tailored nutritional supplements to 60,000 children aged 6-59 months is ongoing to help treat and prevent moderate to acute malnutrition.
  - The National Agency for Economic and Financial Inclusion (ANIES) is providing $25 million to help vulnerable groups.
  - The Social Development and Indigent Fund (FDSI) is distributing in-kind food and health care vouchers worth around $6 million.

### Productivity and investment measures
- Fertilizer subsidy:
  - FSW support allowed the government to temporarily subsidize the price of a 50 kg bag of fertilizer to remain at GNF300,000 during the 2023 agricultural season, compared with GNF500,000-700,000 in 2022.
- Mechanization and post-harvest losses:
  - Purchase of 32 tractors and 30 harvesters with FSW resources helped reduce post-harvest losses of corn and rice.
  - GPS tracking systems provide real-time monitoring to help ensure effective and efficient use of tractors.
- Processing and cropping innovations:
  - FSW funds were used to operationalize the Sinko rice mill, which can process one hundred tonnes of rice per day.
  - Pilot training on Tongil rice from Korea involved people from 109 villages; Tongil rice can be harvested every 3 months instead of the usual 6 months for local rice.

### Implementation performance and constraints
- Timing and execution:
  - Authorities transferred FSW resources to the WFP and other specialized agencies in May-June 2023; implementation was relatively fast once operational safeguards were established.
- Execution rates by end-2023:
  - WFP’s execution rate was 80 percent.
  - Agricultural Development Fund execution rate was 95 percent.
  - Social Development and Indigent Fund (FDSI) execution rate was 81 percent.
- Recent setbacks:
  - The December 2023 explosion of the main fuel depot slowed implementation since.

### Key lessons and policy recommendations
- Successful program types to incorporate into national strategy:
  - National school feeding programs.
  - Revolving funds.
  - Programs to empower local populations.
- Financing and targeting:
  - Targeted programs can make an enormous difference in alleviating food insecurity and should continue to be financed through budgetary resources.
  - Greater coordination—including on the targeting of program beneficiaries—would have improved implementation.
- Preparedness and governance:
  - Necessity to put in place structures to scale up programs quickly during emergencies.
  - Strengthen reporting and governance practices to ensure transparent and efficient implementation and guarantee the proper use of Fund resources.
- Broad commitment:
  - The IMF remains committed to supporting Guinea’s efforts to address structural vulnerabilities and provide a stable basis for sustainable economic growth and future prosperity.
  - Good policies continue to be essential for the country to be able to develop its potential.

*By Pilar Garcia Martinez, Joseph Ntamatungiro, and Neree Noumon (IMF African Department).*/

---


## References

- [GUINEA AND THE IMF](https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/GIN)
- [FOOD SHOCK WINDOW REVIEW](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Policy-Papers/Issues/2023/06/30/Review-of-Experience-with-The-Food-Shock-Window-Under-The-Rapid-Financing-Instrument-and-535478)
- [FAQS: FOOD SHOCK WINDOW](https://www.imf.org/en/About/FAQ/global-food-crisis-and-food-shock-window)
- [https://www.imf.org/en/News/country-focus](https://www.imf.org/en/News/country-focus)
- [PRESS CENTER](http://presscenter.imf.org/)
- [another $71 million](https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/05/07/pr24140-imf-approves-us-71m-in-emergency-financing-support-and-concludes-2024-article-iv-with-guinea)
- [https://www.imf.org/en/home](https://www.imf.org/en/home)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2024/06/20/cf-easing-guineas-food-insecurity-the-imfs-food-shock-window_