Prisma

Risk-informed, data-driven supply chain planning decisions require analysing large amounts of data scattered across different sources and systems. This can be a challenge for WFP operations, which often rely on complicated and partial Excel-based manual analyses that do not provide the complete foresight needed to take optimal planning decisions. This leads to unreliable, inefficient, untransparent and inconsistent planning decisions due to outdated, incomplete or misleading information. This can cause the incorrect allocation of food supplies, operational inefficiencies, risk of expiries or under-delivery. It also incurs additional costs that could be avoided to deliver more food assistance.

Prisma is WFP operations' control tower powered by descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics. WFP operations in each country are unique but share core processes, structures, roles and objectives. Therefore, Prisma's modular system is designed as a standard corporate solution, while being configurable and flexible.

Prisma improves the efficiency of operations by enabling faster and improved planning decisions and allowing timely action to avoid predictable operational issues, such as supply-related pipeline breaks, sub-optimal sourcing or transport solutions, or stock losses due to expiration.

Prisma automates complex analyses and reconciliations across units and systems that would otherwise require a high workload and be subject to human errors. This enables better time management of key staff, with less effort dedicated to data crunching and increased time to focus on other tasks with greater impact to beneficiaries. The tool also promotes cross-functional alignment and reduces siloed work, increasing transparency and robustness in operations management. Prisma's enhanced operational efficiency has an estimated cost saving of over USD 20M annually if scaled-up globally.

In Nigeria, losses due to food expiries dropped from 159 metric tons in 2019 (US$84,000) to no losses registered in 15 months. Extrapolating globally, if food losses due to expiries drop by at least 80 percent, Prisma could help save US$3.2 to US$4.5 million every year.

Between 2020 and 2022, unnecessary transits via Kano warehouse in Nigeria reduced by 70 percent, which represents a 3 percent reduction of the total transport cost in the country (about US$160,000 yearly savings). Globally, a 3 percent reduction of transport costs would amount to a US$14 million saved each year.

WFP Nigeria saved up to US$700,000 in logistics contracting by planning supply arrivals six months ahead, preventing warehouse overflooding.

WFP Afghanistan reduced their production timeline 15 days to 2 days of their bi-weekly operational food supply pipeline, freeing up time for supply chain planners and ensuring a more updated overview of food operations for all stakeholders.