Highlights
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The preliminary findings of the Joint assessment CILSS/FEWSNET, FAO, WFP and Government of The Gambia conducted in October – November 2012, revealed that the overall crop production performance in The Gambia has improved in comparison with 2011. Cereal production, particularly coarse grain, is estimated to increase by 24%- from 159,480 metric tons in 2011 to 209, 800 metric tons in 2012. However, this is 15% less than the 2010 production. Food access remains a challenge for households that were seriously affected by the 2011 crop failure due to high food prices and eroded purchasing power.
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The analysis of the national nutrition survey with SMART methods has been completed and the preliminary results show that 1.2% of children 6-59 months are severely malnourished, while Global Acute Malnutrition is estimated at 9.2%. Kantaur, Janjanbureh and Basse Local Government Areas are most affected with global acute malnutrition rates of above 10 %.
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Mr David Gressly, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator (RHC) for the Sahel visited The Gambia from 1st - 2nd November. Mr Gressly met with the Vice President, the humanitarian actors and the UNCT on the emergency response and the lessons learned from 2012 and initiated a discussion on resilience for the Gambia for 2013. As a result, The Gambia Resilience Strategy and Action Plan 2013 has been drafted and will be shared in the coming days to contribute to the Sahel strategy.