Pocket PCs Help UN Survey Food Needs in Zimbabwe Faster and With Greater Accuracy

Overview

The World Food Programme (WFP) is fighting the worst food crisis in Southern Africa since 1992, when a devastating drought hit the region. In Zimbabwe, WFP's survey team, including many locally-recruited staff, used a Pocket PC-based solution to collect and store their assessment data. The Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) collected and managed the community and household data using a custom-designed Microsoft Survey Application (MSA). In total, thirty-five Pocket PCs were deployed. Working together, Microsoft and WFP developed the MSA form and database.