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Angola: Drought - 2012-2014

Disaster description

A joint Government/UN assessment in April/May 2012, found that an estimated 366,780 households, approximately 1.8 million people, were affected by a protracted dry spell. In addition, an estimated 533,000 children suffered varying levels of malnutrition. The primary cause of the conditions stemmed from the poor agricultural production in 2012, limiting the availability of food from own production. In addition, income opportunities were depressed following reduced demand for casual/seasonal agricultural employment, negatively impacting on poor households’ capacity to purchase food. (GIEWS, 9 Jul 2012)

Due to severe drought in most of the Southern Livestock, Millet, and Sorghum livelihood zone in early 2013, harvests were estimated to range from 50 to 70 percent below average. More than 20 per cent of households of Namibe and Cunene provinces were Stressed or were minimally able to meet their food needs, but are unable to purchase non-food items. Some assistance was provided by the Government, but it was not improving food security outcomes because it was distributed irregularly and households were only receiving parts of the food basket. In Cuando Cubango, at least 80 per cent of households were able to meet their minimum food and livelihood protection needs with the assistance provided by the Government and partners. (FEWS NET, 31 Oct 2013)

In April 2014, FEWS NET reported that after a late start of the seasonal rains in Benguela and Kwanza-Sul Provinces, irregular rainfall and dryness has been experienced in these areas throughout much of the season. Even though government food assistance is being provided to households in Cunene and Namibe Provinces, the assistance has not improved household food security outcomes in the targeted areas due to the inefficiency of the distribution system. In parts of Benguela and Kwanza-Sul cropping is no longer viable due to dryness and poor households continue to abandon their small plots and migrate into the cities. Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity outcomes are expected to persist in all four areas through September. (FEWS NET, 17 Apr 2014)

In February 2015, FEWS NET reported that current acute food insecurity outcomes among the majority of poor households is Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and these outcomes are expected to continue through March. However, we expect these outcomes to improve from April to June and to become Minimal (IPC Phase 1). FEWS NET, 28 February 2015

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