FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Estimates of 2011 Maha season paddy crop revised downwards due to flood damages

• The reduced domestic production and rising international prices lead to a sharp rise in food prices since August 2010

• Over 1 million people have been affected by the floods in the east and central part of the country and require humanitarian assistance

Estimates of the 2011 Maha season paddy crop revised downwards due to flood damage

Key Messages

Dramatic increases in the prices of local cereals are registered in Southern and Central Somalia, mainly due to drought that affected production of sorghum and maize. Nominal rice and maize prices may soon approach the levels observed in 2008.

The number of food insecure people in need of food assistance has increased to 2.4 million in the last six months.

The ongoing civil conflict and the severe drought during the 2010/11 secondary deyr season are the major drivers of deteriorating food security conditions in the country.

Key Messages

Prices have continued to show an upward trend since December 2010 and remained at very high levels in the subsequent months of 2011. Nominal local rice price may soon approach the level observed in 2008.

Food security situation is particularly worrisome for poor and very poor households in regions hit by weather shocks in 2010. An estimated 3 million people require food aid during the current lean season.

Key Messages

In April, food prices stabilized after significant increases in recent months. High prices remain a major problem for the poor.

Nominal rice price may soon approach the level observed in 2008.

People affected by the flood last year are still recovering and continue to require emergency assistance. Different agencies are still concerned over their food security conditions.

Recent conflict between government forces and insurgents has displaced thousands of people in the north western districts of Pakistan.

Key Messages

Food security and livelihoods are threatened by high food prices and persistent conflict and civil unrest which also limit access to food assistance.

Despite the good harvests of the 2010 season, different agencies are extremely concerned about the hunger situation which is reported as alarming or very high.

Insecurity and violence have increased in the last few months as protests in major cities are taking place against the governments.

Key Points

• Alert Level Two (“Alarming”) has been raised over Taal Volcano on 10 April.

• Rido or clan feuds continue to cause sporadic displacements in Maguindanao Province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

• The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines agreed to develop an Action Plan to ensure that no children are among the ranks of the New People’s Army or involved in the conflict.

I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES

• The UN is actively supporting Government's response to the flood emergency in northern Namibia.
• Water levels are gradually receding; however, significant humanitarian needs persist.
• A CERF application and Flash Appeal have been completed and submitted.

This report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2010

In brief Programme outcome: The programmes supported by the international Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are all streamlined with the strategic aims of IFRC’s Strategy 2020: