Forecast-based Action at Save the Children

Forecast-based Action can enable households to avoid negative coping mechanisms during the early stages of deterioration. During slow-onset crises, negative coping strategies such as selling unsustainable numbers of productive assets (e.g. depleting livestock herds), removing children from school, or switching to a less nutritious diet, often occur well before emergency thresholds are reached. Therefore, even if Forecast-based Action is not enough to mitigate an emerging crisis, it can be a vital bridge that supports families and their children during early signs of deterioration until humanitarian scale-up is possible. This approach also has a Value for Money aspect as it is well known that humanitarian response is far more costly than investing in preventative measures.