SHAPES (Shock and Assistance Platform for Economic Simulations) is WFP's modelling platform that uses simulations to assess the food security outcomes of shocks and assistance for early warning and anticipatory action, advocacy and programme design.
Impacts of economic and climate shocks on local populations can be devastating and require humanitarian intervention to save lives and restore livelihoods. However, the lack of analytical tools that pre-emptively inform policy makers on the food security impact that shocks may have, and the effectiveness of different responses, hinders the quality and timeliness of WFP responses.
The SHAPES platform analyses the impact of multiple shocks and the effects of humanitarian assistance. SHAPES provides the information needed to take the most appropriate action in crises and mobilize resources to save and change lives.
Country offices can request the SHAPES team to run simulations or use the online interface. The users interact with SHAPES through a user-friendly web platform to define a fully customizable scenario, quantifying parameters for shocks (such as inflation, exchange rate and extreme rainfall) and assistance (for example, cash/in-kind transfers and number of people assisted).
The platform can project the number of people in need, provide guidance on the optimal assistance to offset the negative shock and model how and to what extent that assistance will produce spillover effects.
