Andrea Amparore
GIS Analyst
UN World Food Programme
Switzerland

Biography
Andrea is a GIS analyst at the UN World Food Programme, where he is responsible for developing custom GIS tools for emergency preparedness and response needs. After having obtained a bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Turin, Andrea completed his education with a Master in Geomatics at the University of Mirail and National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse. He worked as a GIS consultant for national and international organization in USA and Europe, including Center for Spatial Studies of the BIOsphere (CESBIO), and the Joint Research Center of the European Commission.

Abstract


The World Food Programme is the United Nations humanitarian organization responsible for the rapid intervention and assistance in the event of a food crisis. The role of its GIS unit has been increasing over the last years, supporting WFP activities during emergencies and designing long-term development programs. This presentation will show some case studies and pilot projects, in particular the Integrated Context Analysis, which evaluates the vulnerability of food insecure populations living in areas prone to natural hazards. In addition to the frequency of natural shocks and food security/nutrition indicators, the methodology uses other important indicators such as soil deterioration, land cover change detection... Results of the analyses are crucial in the design of the strategies for WFP's planning activities, in order to identify focus areas of interventions and better allocate human and material resources. Another topic that will be discussed is the conception of custom GIS tools that are used to enhance disaster risk analysis, and the opportunity of using the inter-agency network to allow for more cooperation and to share of these tools.