C.26 Number of capacity strengthening initiatives facilitated by WFP to enhance national stakeholder capacities to contribute to ending hunger

C.26 Number of capacity strengthening initiatives facilitated by WFP to enhance national stakeholder capacities to contribute to ending hunger

VERSION

V1.0 - 2026.03 — NEW

INDICATOR CODE

C.26

N.B: This indicator is an update to a previous indicator (formerly known in CRF 2022-2025 as C.5 Number of capacity strengthening initiatives facilitated by WFP to enhance national stakeholder capacities to contribute to Zero Hunger and other SDGs).

TECHNICAL OWNER

PRGS-CCS Workstream

INDICATOR TYPE

Country Level Output Indicator

INDICATOR CLASSIFICATION

Mandatory

INDICATOR SCOPE

Sector Neutral

APPLICABILITY

The selection of this indicator is mandatory against the following sub-activities in CSPs logframes. Selection of the below sub-activities will trigger in COMET the mandatory selection of this indicator.

1. Emergency preparedness and response CCS (EPR_CCS)

2. Ecosystem restoration, community infrastructure and livelihood opportunities CCS (ECL_CCS)

3. Financial solutions, information services and market access CCS (FIM_CCS)

4. Malnutrition management CCS (NTA_CCS)

5. Malnutrition prevention CCS (NPA_CCS)

6. National data and analytics CCS (NDA_CCS)

7. School-based programme CCS (SMP_CCS)

This is also recommended for the following sub‑activity in CSP logframes. Choosing it in COMET will not trigger the inclusion of this indicator.

1. Social protection technical support (SP_CCS)

UNIT OF MEASUREMENT & ANALYSIS

Number of initiatives

DEFINITION

This indicator measures the number of capacity strengthening initiatives implemented or facilitated by WFP for national stakeholders. It is reported in COMET through detailed indicators that describe the type of support provided. Country offices can select the detailed indicators that best reflect their activity context and implementation.

Within COMET, the detailed indicators are grouped according to the following categories: structured learning activities, engagement and dialogue processes, on the job learning, technical advisory support, and peer learning opportunities. Each category is defined below.

Capacity strengthening initiatives for the purposes of this indicator refer to the specific types of activities through which WFP supports national stakeholders to develop knowledge and skills and to perform their roles more effectively. These initiatives include:

• Structured learning activities such as trainings, training‑of‑trainers, workshops, presentations, conferences, group work, and other events focused on knowledge transfer and learning outcomes.

• Engagement and dialogue processes such as stakeholder consultations and advocacy‑related events.

• On‑the‑job learning, including national stakeholder staff shadowing WFP staff, or WFP staff coaching and mentoring national colleagues who are implementing activities.

• Technical advisory support, such as participation in technical working groups or contributions to policy or strategy processes.

• Peer‑learning opportunities, such as South–South and Triangular Cooperation visits.

These initiatives may be time‑bound, such as a workshop or study visit, or ongoing, such as sustained coaching or mentoring.

Additional key terms for this indicator are defined below.

WFP capacity strengthening support: Engagements with national stakeholders aimed at enhancing the capacity of national systems and programmes to function efficiently, effectively and sustainably. WFP applies a mix of support types – from accompaniment to advocacy, convening, piloting, modeling, secondment, physical and financial assets, knowledge products and training – to address diverse needs and entry points (see guidance on 9 Types of Capacity Strengthening Support).

National stakeholder refers to a domestic actor operating within a country’s territory at national, sub‑national, or local levels. This includes government institutions, civil society organizations, private‑sector entities, and community‑based groups.

For this indicator, the term may also include regional bodies rooted in and serving countries within a specific region (e.g. African Union, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency).

It excludes international or external organizations, such as UN agencies, international financial institutions, bilateral donors, and international NGOs.

Facilitated by WFP refers to instances where WFP contributes directly to the delivery of capacity strengthening initiatives to national stakeholders, either as the primary provider or as a supporting provider:

1. Primary provider: WFP or its cooperating partner leads the delivery of knowledge. This includes situations where WFP/CP staff deliver trainings, or convene, chair, and facilitate events aimed at knowledge transfer and achieving learning outcomes.

2. Supporting provider: WFP provides technical or back‑stopping support to stakeholders who lead the design or delivery of capacity strengthening initiatives. These lead actors may include national government counterparts or third parties (e.g. national civil society organizations, private sector entities, academic institutions, or partner governments). In such cases, they may replicate WFP training packages, materials, or modalities, or develop and deliver new initiatives with WFP’s technical support.

RATIONALE

This indicator tracks how actively WFP supports national partners in strengthening the system capacities needed to drive progress toward zero hunger. Each initiative counted represents a concrete opportunity for national institutions to improve their technical, operational, or strategic capacities in food security and nutrition. By monitoring the number of these initiatives, the indicator highlights WFP’s role in enabling governments and other national actors to assume greater leadership, sustain results, and progressively reduce reliance on external support. indicator measures participation in WFP.

DATA SOURCE

Data for this indicator may be gathered through WFP’s formal or informal arrangements with national partners, including agreements, meeting records, and consultations. These sources help verify the initiatives WFP has facilitated and ensure that all relevant capacity strengthening activities are captured.

INDICATOR CALCULATION FOR REPORTING

This indicator is calculated through a direct count of the follow‑up or end‑year values reported under the selected detailed indicators. COMET will automatically aggregate these values into the appropriate common categories.

To ensure consistent counting, apply the following rules:

• Series of engagements count as one. Ongoing or repeated interactions that are part of a single initiative, such as a year‑long training programme or a continuous coaching relationship, should be recorded as one initiative.

• Distinct cohorts count separately. If WFP delivers the same activity to different groups or in different geographic areas, each cohort or location counts as one.

• One‑off events each count as one. Activities such as conferences, single workshops, or standalone sessions are counted as one initiative, regardless of duration.

• The indicator is not cumulative. If an initiative recurs annually, it should be counted once per reporting year in which it takes place.

DATA ENTRY AND DISAGGREGATION IN CORPORATE SYSTEMS

Planned values for this output indicator are entered in the Other Output Plan (OOP) in COMET, while actual values are recorded through completion reports. Planned and actual values must be disaggregated by activity tag and location.

In COMET, this indicator is broken down into five detailed indicators that specify the type of capacity strengthening initiative:

• C.26.1 Number of structured learning activities.

• C.26.2 Number of engagement and dialogue processes.

• C.26.3 Number of on the job learning activities.

• C.26.4 Number of technical advisory support activities.

• C.26.5 Number of peer-learning opportunities.

If the indicator is included in the logframe, reporting on at least one detailed indicator is mandatory. Values should be reported using the corresponding breakdown presented in the tables below, reporting only against applicable entries

PLANNED FIGURES

Targets for this indicator are set at the level of the detailed indicators selected for reporting, using the corresponding breakdown presented in the data entry tables above. Activity managers should define these targets at the start of the engagement, in consultation with key stakeholders. Target values should reflect expected participation, stakeholder priorities, and WFP’s capacity to facilitate the planned initiatives. When possible, they should also be informed by the stakeholder’s own plans for developing staff capacities.

At the beginning of each reporting year, targets must be reviewed with stakeholders. Annual target values for each selected detailed indicator are then entered into the COMET Other Output Plan (OOP). Initial targets should be established in the first quarter of the first year of CSP implementation and revisited in the first quarter of each subsequent year.

FREQUENCY OF DATA COLLECTION

The indicator should be monitored continuously through proper record keeping, with records reviewed at least quarterly for quality assurance and accurate tracking. Data must be consolidated and reported at least annually in the COMET completion report.

INTERPRETATION

This indicator captures the number of capacity strengthening initiatives that WFP facilitated to support national actors in enhancing food security and nutrition systems. On its own, the figure reflects only the quantity of initiatives; it does not indicate their quality or intensity, nor the actual changes or improvements in national capacities that the initiatives were intended to generate. To interpret this indicator meaningfully, it should be reviewed together with complementary indicators and supported by a brief narrative that explains:

• whose capacities were strengthened (e.g. government counterparts, national service providers, civil society organizations).

• what capacities were targeted (e.g. skills to design, deliver or manage services).

• for what purpose within the broader objective of the intervention.

The narrative should also describe the nature of the initiatives (e.g. training, technical assistance, advisory support), their frequency or duration, and how they are expected to enable national stakeholders to apply and sustain improved capacities over time.

REPORTING EXAMPLE(S)

The paragraph below illustrates how this indicator can be reported in the Annual Country Report. It highlights a set of capacity strengthening initiatives delivered by WFP to support national stakeholders in improving programme delivery, and shows how to link these initiatives to their immediate application in operational settings, such as strengthening targeting, registration and service delivery processes. It also demonstrates how to situate these initiatives within WFP’s broader capacity strengthening efforts in the country, including support to reinforce national social protection systems.

In 2025, WFP supported the Ministry of Social Affairs to strengthen the delivery of the national cash assistance programme in rural areas. To do so, WFP delivered a series of capacity strengthening initiatives focused on improving targeting, registration and service delivery processes. These included training sessions for district‑level staff on updated enrolment procedures and data management tools; technical advisory support to refine standard operating procedures and improve coordination between central and local authorities; and on‑the‑job coaching provided to frontline registration teams and district social workers during live registration exercises in selected districts.

Through these initiatives, district teams applied updated procedures in real time, improving the accuracy and timeliness of enrolment. The strengthened processes are now being rolled out to additional districts, supporting the Government’s efforts to expand coverage of the programme and improve service delivery for vulnerable households

INDICATORS COLLECTED & ANALYSED AT THE SAME TIME

Use this indicator together with a small set of related capacity strengthening output indicators to understand how WFP engaged, what was produced or transferred, and who was involved. In particular:

• C.25 provides information on the number of people engaged through capacity strengthening initiatives.

• C.27 captures the tools, products, or materials developed or revised.

• C.8 reflects the assets or infrastructure transferred to national stakeholders.

• C.28 shows the number of institutions engaged at national and subnational levels.

Taken together, these indicators link participants to the activities they joined, the products and assets created, and the institutions involved, providing a more complete picture of the scope and nature of WFP’s engagement.

VISUALIZATION

N/A

LIMITATIONS

• Reflects quantity only. As an output indicator, it counts how many initiatives were delivered, but does not capture the quality, depth, or effectiveness of the capacity strengthening support.

• Different initiative types treated equally. One‑off sessions and long-term technical assistance efforts count the same, which can mask variation in scope and effort.

• Does not show who benefited. On its own, the indicator does not capture participant profiles or how well the initiative aligned to national capacity needs.

• Influenced by external factors. The number of initiatives may be affected by operational constraints, partner availability, shifting national priorities, or emergencies – factors beyond WFP’s control that do not reflect performance

FURTHER INFORMATION

Refer to the CCS Framework, 9 Types of Capacity Strengthening Support, and additional resources in the CCS section of the Programme Guidance Manual.