MEMO

FROM: Francois Damba

SUBJECT: Unit 1, Task 1 – The Current State of the Supply Chain

In simple terms, Supply Chain is a process that links the source of raw materials through to its delivery
and consumption by the final users (the beneficiary). It is a flow of material from source to
consumption, supported by flows of information and cash/payments/donations.
1. Please map the current SCILaid supply chain showing the goods flow and information flow for
the food being distributed to the beneficiaries at the refugee camps.

2. From the work you have done so far on mapping the supply chain, from your meetings and
from the handover report, you will have formed a view on how the current supply chain is
working. What opportunities do you see for improving the performance of this supply
chain?
Opportunities for improving performance in supply chain:
There are some opportunities where improvements can be made to the performance of supply chain.
Specially in disaster relief program, these opportunities contribute a vital role to ensure the efficiency of
supply chain.
These areas of opportunity are:
 Involvement in disaster assessments: For supply chain responsible person, it is important to
know the information of assessment. Disaster assessments are normally done or carried out by
program related department or persons. So, they do not take supply chain person in the
assessment. As a result, the assessment not completely focused on proper need. If supply chain
is included in assessments, then they will focus on the sourcing of the goods, movement of
goods and deliver the goods within the affected area where disaster occurred. If the supply
chain professional has local knowledge, the assessment report will be enriched. So, there is an
opportunity for improving performance in supply chain by involvement in disaster assessment.

 Communication, coordination, and cooperation among aid organizations: In an emergency or

disaster relief operation, so many humanitarian aid organizations are working. They are all work
for development of beneficiaries lives and dignity. So, there are, therefore, opportunities for the
people setting up and managing their own supply chains to work together with other
humanitarian or counterparts aid organizations. With this cooperation, supply chain process for
all organization will run smoothly. Not only organization but also beneficiaries will be more
benefited if all organization have communication, coordination, and cooperation. One
organization can easily get supplier information, suitable places for warehouse and update
information with the changes in logistics. It will save so much time in supply chain process.

 Supply chain preparedness: After any relief operation, supply chain learned many things from
the experience. These can be used for future operations. Evaluation of the performance after

Page 1 of 3
MEMO
any relief operation will be pathway for further operations. Because the learning can be used to
make changes in preparedness of further operation. Development of plans, holding inventory
for appropriate good and equipment in permanent warehouse facilities will improve after
evaluating. So, there will be some opportunities in Supply chain for preparedness of any relief
operation.
 Knowledge and use of processes and procedures: Performance of the supply chain can be
improved through the effective use and understanding of different well-developed procedures
carried by the different organization and people managing the supply chain. Because the
process and procedures may have complexity. People need to be more prepared for the
situation when it is receivable for them. The people who can use the procedures of supply chain
related things like Customs, employment, traffic, and others legislation and to use them well,
can significantly improve supply chain performance.
 Use of information technology: Now, Information Technology and Communication are very
important parts of supply chain process. Without proper communication, supply chain process
can be hampered. Also, utilization of information technology to manage the process of supply
chain is one of the improvement opportunities in humanitarian supply chain performance.
Information technology helps a supply chain professional to capture the information, analyze it,
transmitted, share to others and store to safe place for further process. IT also helps to trac &
trace the process, report prepare, production of supply chain metrics, storing and sharing data
for preparedness. The most important thing, this is helps to manage all process smoothly.
 Managing the links in the supply chain: In Supply chain process, several different people,
departments, and organizations are involving and working together to manage the total supply
chain process. They are different persons, programs, functions, and organization who involved
together and their way of managing links between them can significantly improve the
performance of supply chain. When people are working together for a goal to managing and
improving their links, then performance can be improved significantly.
 Keeping Up to Date with Changes in Logistics: In 21st Century, everything is updated day by day.
The way of supply chain process is changing with the technology and Improvement of
communication. Different associations for logistics are exist all over the world and it is very easy
found them through internet. By involving with them, humanitarian logisticians can improve
their knowledge and way of work, skills with the changes of logistics.

Thank you,
Nayan

To answer this task, you may find the following sections of the learning materials useful:
1.4 The Role of Logistics & Supply Chain in Humanitarian Aid
1.5 Improving Performance of the Supply Chain

Page 2 of 3
MEMO
Example map:

Page 3 of 3