Religious extremism and militancy in Pakistan is concentrated in the country's north?west; comprising the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and parts of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan. In April 2009, the military launched a series of major operations, expelling militant groups from their strongholds in NWFP's Malakand division (covering the districts of Buner, Swat, Shangla, and Upper and Lower Dir). In the second half of 2009, further such exercises were undertaken across the Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai agencies of FATA. Millions of people fled the fighting and took refuge with hosting communities or in established camp facilities, primarily in the safer areas of NWFP. As of February 2010, the Malakand area appears to be stabilizing, amid improved security and an escalating return and recovery process. By contrast, hot spots in FATA have now become the focus of the military.

With the support of PaRRSA, the FATA Secretariat, UNIFEM, FAO and WHO, WFP conducted a Food Security and Market Assessment (FSMA) across crisis-affected areas in early 2010, aiming to:

- Provide a recovery baseline for future social safety net and livelihood programming; and

- Inform respondent operations and promote a refinement of targeting for assistance.

All seven FATA agencies and nine of the 24 districts in NWFP constitute the survey area, with a total population of 13.1 million people.