Pre-Crisis Market Analysis (PCMA)

This document provides guidance for practitioners on conducting market analysis before the onset of an
anticipated crisis using an adaptation of existing post-crisis market assessment tools. Recommendations
stemming from this analysis could be used to inform preparedness and disaster risk reduction programming decision making as well as future emergency responses. This guidance focuses on markets, with the objective to improve programming. As with any humanitarian initiative, the core objective of Pre-Crisis-Market Analysis (PCMA) is to increase the quality of interventions that benefit people vulnerable to crisis.

The PCMA guidance document does not cover market analysis after a shock when there is no existing
baseline, nor is it appropriate for use in slow-onset emergencies when the impact of a hazard is imminent
(for example, when Early Warning Systems are already saying that a drought is unfolding and will result in a food insecurity crisis). It covers the existing income market systems (i.e. the ones people access to gain an income from – production, labour, entrepreneurship) and expenditure market systems (i.e. the commodities and services people purchase) that are already part of people’s livelihood and basic needs coverage, but not new market opportunities. This guidance can be used to support the analysis of commodity- and service-related market systems across sectors.