South-South and Triangular Cooperation | World Food Programme Skip to main content

Over the past decades, countries of the Global South have emerged as leading voices in global governance, champions of new platforms and institutions, and agents of development action for the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The World Food Programme (WFP) supports countries in harnessing a wealth of agricultural and food systems knowledge, capacities and technical expertise across the Global South, to power collective progress toward a world free from hunger. 

Driven by rising demand among countries, WFP has stepped up its engagement to support governments through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC). 

The mechanism involves direct exchange of knowledge, experiences, skills, resources and technical know-how among developing countries, often assisted by a donor or an organization such as WFP. This “triangular” cooperation may take the form of funding, training and technical assistance, as well as other types of support.

WFP-facilitated SSTC supports and empowers Global South countries in sharing, adapting and implementing zero hunger solutions to strengthen their national systems, focusing on the most vulnerable people.

We supports our host governments in finding the right partners, in order to tap into the wealth of expertise and innovations from the Global South in a wide range of areas. These include:

WFP, under its Strategic Plan 2022-2025, will increase engagement as a SSTC broker across three main levels: driving change at the policy level; expanding the technical skills and capacities of national experts, and bringing local innovation and experimentation to scale.

Harnessing WFP’s extensive field presence with over 80 countries, WFP has brokered over 70 SSTC initiatives to date, driven by the demands of our host governments. These have generated benefits for the most vulnerable people at risk of, and suffering from, hunger and malnutrition in 69 countries across the world.  

Our approach involves providing expertise and support in the following 3 strategic areas:

Consolidating current SSTC efforts: WFP will scale up sustainable SSTC engagement in areas such as school meals, nutrition, safety nets and support for smallholder farmers' markets.

Responding to emerging demands: WFP will address increased country demand in supply chain management, emergency preparedness and response, disaster risk reduction, and anticipatory action.  

Ensuring quality and results: WFP will leverage its comparative advantages as an SSTC broker to deliver effective, innovative and inclusive solutions. 

You can learn more about WFP’s initiatives by contacting the SSTC Unit here.

WFP-facilitated SSTC