Attachments
Overview
2022 saw the deterioration of the food security situation in Cape Verde's archipelago, which faced a complex crisis resulting from several factors, including years of drought and subsequent drops in food production, the socio-economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and global supply chain disruptions as well as sharp food price increases mainly driven by the Ukraine crisis. The March Cadre Harmonisé (CH) analysis projected that over 46,000 people were likely to face acute food insecurity (CH Phases 3 and 4) during the lean season (June - August) - representing ten percent of the total population.
These challenges threatened the country’s hard-won gains in food security, putting West Africa’s first-ever nationally owned school feeding programme in Cape Verde at risk of being put on hold due to the government's inability to supply all required goods. In addition to improving school attendance, enrolment, and retention, Cape Verde’s school feeding programme represents a crucial safety net, supporting vulnerable families at risk of food insecurity. Consequently, the Government of Cape Verde requested WFP, both in March and May, to leverage its expertise to purchase and deliver in-kind food commodities necessary to support the continuation of the national school feeding programme and to support the government's fundraising strategy.
While WFP had no presence in Cape Verde, it carried out a joint mission with the Government and the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to review the food security situation in the country and identify needs for assistance. Accordingly, in June, WFP activated a Limited Emergency Operation (LEO) [3] to ensure the purchase and delivery of commodities necessary to maintain the national school feeding programme. Thanks to internal WFP financing from Immediate Response Account [4], which helps to kick off the LEO implementation. Through this LEO, WFP also aimed to enable advocacy for strengthened partnerships between national and international development actors to support the government's investments in food security and nutrition.
Initially operating under one strategic outcome (Strategic Outcome 1), WFP coordinated the international purchase and shipping of approximately 1,200 metric tons of commodities for use in the 2022-2023 school year, representing 76 percent of the total metric tons planned for procurement and shipment under the original LEO. WFP did not reach 100 percent of its target as global supply chain disruptions hampered its shipping and procurement operations. WFP's main implementation partner was the Fundação Cabo-Verdana de Ação Social Escolar (FICASE) for the customs and clearance, storage, and delivery of food commodities procured by WFP to school canteens. WFP also worked closely with FAO, with whom it launched a Joint Appeal calling for USD 15 million to support through immediate and anticipatory action 100 percent of the population projected to face crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity during the lean season as well as students affected by potential disruptions of the food canteen system due to the crisis.
Given persistent needs and procurement delays, WFP undertook a budget revision (BR) of its LEO in August to extend it by six months (December 2022 - May 2023) and increase its budget from USD 1.6 million to USD 4.4 million. This BR adjusted the strategic orientation of the LEO by introducing a new strategic outcome (Strategic Outcome 2), aligned with WFP's Corporate Strategic Outcome 1, for WFP's direct provision of food, technical assistance, capacity strengthening, and policy support to national institutions and partners to manage and implement the national school feeding programme. Under Strategic Outcome 2, WFP reached 84,886 schoolchildren in 857 schools throughout Cape Verde during the year, while no activities were carried out under SO1.
Throughout its response, WFP maintained its positive collaboration with national authorities, supporting them toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). In 2022, the Government of Cape Verde and the United Nations Country Team in Cape Verde endorsed the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Cape Verde for 2023 - 2027, which will guide the Government, the UN, and all stakeholders to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in an integrated manner.