• Garowe town is located in Nugaal Region between two wadis: Togga-Garowe to the north and Lan Alifirin to the south. It is the administrative capital of Puntland State.
• The climate in the town is aridwith orographic and coastal influences contributing to the high rainfall variability.
• Temperatures range from a minimum of 14C to a maximum of 34C.
• Inflation: The monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased for the fourth consecutive month in southern regions while remaining stable in all other areas of the country. Annual inflation rates also decreased significantly in all Somali Shilling (SoSh) zones while remaining relatively stable in Somaliland Shilling (SlSh) area. When compared to the base period (March 2007), the cost of living is, however, significantly inflated (109-146%) in SoSh areas, while having risen moderately (17%) in SlSh areas.
• Inflation: The monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased for the third consecutive month in most regions, except in Central and North Somaliland Shilling (SlSh) zones where it sustained the January 2012 levels. The annual inflation rate was stable in the North Somaliland Shilling (SlSh) zone but decreased by 10 to 20 percent in other zones. When compared to the base period (March 2007), the cost of living has increased significantly (120-141%) in Somali Shilling (SoSh) areas, while having risen moderately (16%) in SlSh areas.
• Inflation: The monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased for the second consecutive time this month in most zones of the country, except in Central where it sustained the December 2011levels. The annual inflation rate increased marginally in the Northwest but decreased in the range of 3 to 11 percent in other regions. When compared to the base period (March 2007), the cost of living is, however, significantly inflated (132-143%) in Somali Shilling (SoSh) areas, while having risen moderately (16%) in Somaliland Shilling (SlSh) areas.
A significant scale-up of emergency response since September/October 2011, in combination with the off season harvest and the Deyr (October-December) 2011 harvest has had a significant impact on improving food access, acute malnutrition, and mortality levels in the southern Somali population. As a result, famine outcomes characterized by evidence of of all three of the following outcomes, based on the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) version 2.0, are no longer existent in Southern Somalia:
NAIROBI/WASHINGTON FEBRUARY 3, 2012 – Recent analysis by FAOS’s FSNAU and FEWS NET confirm that Famine outcomes no longer exist in Southern Somalia, yet nearly a third of the population remain in crisis, unable to fully meet essential food and non-food needs. Based on the latest assessment findings, Mogadishu IDPs, Afgoye IDPs, and agropastoral households in Middle Shabelle (populations formerly classified as IPC Phase 5 – Famine) have now improved to Emergency-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 4).
• Deyr rains were normal to above normal in most regions with the exception of Bari in Northeast, parts and Nugaal and Sanaag and parts of Awdal and Togdheer regions in Northwest where the rains were below normal.
Due to general insecurity in the region and the recent ban imposed on key humanitarian agencies by the insurgents FSNAU field analyst of Hirancould not access field directly.
Food security information was collected through teleconferencing with enumerators and key informants.
