Integrating Anticipatory Action for Hurricanes into Social Protection Systems- Saint Lucia Case Study

This case study provides a technical overview of the collaborative efforts undertaken by the Government of Saint Lucia and the World Food Programme (WFP) to design, implement, and test a social protection based anticipatory action mechanism for hurricanes. Through the integration of preagreed forecast triggers, social protection registries, and digital payment systems, the mechanism enables pre-emptive delivery of assistance to the most vulnerable households before disaster strikes, reducing human and economic impacts while strengthening institutional readiness. Similar to many Caribbean countries exposed to hurricanes, Saint Lucia faces increasing risks due to the intensifying effects of climate change. In response, the Government, supported by WFP, has taken proactive steps to enhance disaster preparedness through its social protection infrastructure, particularly the Public Assistance Programme (PAP). The anticipatory action mechanism draws on this existing system to pre-identify at-risk households and deliver assistance, either via bank transfers or supermarket vouchers, upon confirmation of forecast-based triggers. These actions are guided by standard operating procedures (SOPs) and implemented through a collaborative effort between different government bodies, involving the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Finance, Saint Lucia Meteorological Services, and field-based Geographic Teams. While the majority of the design work took place in 2024, SOPs and processes were refined and finetuned in 2025. To test the system’s operational readiness, a full-scale simulation exercise for anticipatory action was conducted in May 2025 – the first of its kind in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. It validated the end-to-end functionality of the anticipatory action mechanism, including the Government’s payment systems, voucher distribution and communication channels. Despite some operational challenges such as issues with SMS communications, coordination gaps with Treasury, and persistent registry and data quality issues affecting the timeliness of targeting, the simulation successfully demonstrated the feasibility of government-led anticipatory action embedded in social protection. The simulation also served as a critical learning opportunity to refine SOPs, build cross-agency capacity, and reinforce national ownership. Looking ahead, priority actions include developing a multi-channel communication strategy (SMS, phone calls, WhatsApp and community outreach) tailored to beneficiaries with low literacy or limited digital access, enhancing data quality and strengthening digital workflows, including strengthening coordination with Treasury and designated focal points, expanding staff training, particularly in the use of digital tools such as KoboToolbox, and formalizing a real-time command structure for activations. These improvements will ensure Saint Lucia’s anticipatory action mechanism is more inclusive, coordinated, and ready for activation ahead of future hurricanes seasons. Saint Lucia’s experience offers a valuable model for Small Island Developing States seeking to embed anticipatory action within national social protection systems and mitigate impacts of climate-related hazards through timely, dignified, and government-led interventions.