Nepal Anticipatory Action Framework - Floods (2025)

1. Executive Summary

The purpose of this document is to present the framework for anticipatory action (AA) in Nepal, including the forecasting trigger, the pre-agreed action plans) and the pre-arranged financing. The initial framework was endorsed in 2021 for a two-year period and subsequently extended for the 2023 and 2024 monsoon seasons. This document includes modifications made in previous years and lessons learned from the 2022 and 2024 activations. It covers the 2025 monsoon season. The 2025 version is aligned with the Government’s Shock Responsive Social Protection (SRSP) and Relief Distribution Standard which was launched in late 2024. The framework was developed through a participatory process of partners, coordinated by OCHA, under the overall leadership of the Resident Coordinator (RC) and in collaboration with the Government of Nepal.

The objective of this framework is to provide coordinated anticipatory humanitarian action to people at risk of severe monsoon flooding in Nepal. The initiative will aim to provide life-saving assistance to up to 50,000 people across 9 flood-prone municipalities (“palikas”) in eastern Nepal:
• Koshi Province, Sunsari district – 4 palikas
• Madhesh Province, Saptari district - 5 palikas
In addition, other anticipatory action initiatives, including by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) are highlighted that will be implemented in western Nepal.
The financing
The funding for the framework comes from different sources, mainly from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) of up to $2.7 million. CERF financing will be released as automatically as possible immediately once the defined triggers are reached. In addition, partners are using internal resources to complement the CERF funding.

The trigger
The trigger mechanism is based on parameters proposed by Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM). OCHA’s Centre for Humanitarian Data (CHD), in coordination with national and local partners, supported the operationalization of the trigger as proposed. The Nepal framework relies on a two-step trigger system:
• Stage I: A readiness trigger based on the GloFAS1 forecast that will provide a maximum of 7 days’ lead time ahead of peak flooding.
• Stage II: An action trigger based on the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology’s flood bulletin and special flood warning with a maximum of 3 days lead time.

The action plan
The delivery of anticipatory action is time sensitive. Four United Nations (UN) agencies – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP) – in partnership with national and local NGOs and in close collaboration with the federal, provincial and local government and district authorities, will:
• Distribute multi-purpose digital cash payments: Around US$1.4 million will be transferred to vulnerable flood-prone households to meet their essential needs. UNICEF, FAO and WFP will provide 5,000 or 8000 Nepalese Rupees depending upon household size in line with the new Shock-Responsive Social Protection and Relief Distribution Standard.
• Provide in-kind assistance: To complement the digital cash assistance, UN agencies will provide households with essential items to mitigate the potential impacts of the flood. UNICEF will distribute hygiene kits, water purification tablets, jerry cans, buckets and mugs and will install emergency toilets. UNFPA will distribute dignity kits and kishori kits. FAO will provide hermetic bags for waterproof storage of grains and seeds.
• Delivery services: Agencies and their partners will also provide early warning messages to vulnerable households. Trained personnel will provide important gender-inclusive services to at-risk households. UNFPA and its partners will deploy community psychosocial workers and female community health volunteers to promote sexual and reproductive health as well as gender-based violence services. UNICEF will deploy trained community psychosocial workers.