Attachments
Overview
In 2022, Honduras was exposed to shocks and stressors while attempting to recover from the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19. Heavy rains impacted thousands of people during the second half of the year, and the passage of tropical storms exacerbated the multidimensional crisis, further weakening the country's resilience and negatively impacting their livelihoods and local economies. Moreover, income inequality, violence, displacement, migration and poverty continued to increase.
In this context, WFP doubled its efforts to assist vulnerable populations in meeting their immediate needs, reaching 1.9 million beneficiaries (49 percent more than in 2021), of which 53 percent were women. Overall, USD 47.5 million were invested in WFP's activities throughout the country, 26 percent more than in 2021. Of the beneficiaries assisted, 14,420 were people with disabilities. While crisis response remained a priority, WFP also focused on improving food security by implementing resilience-building activities and restoring livelihoods to address the root causes of hunger.
Following two years of school closures, the National School Feeding Programme resumed, and WFP remained a key partner for the Government. WFP contributed to the social protection programme by providing on-site rations to improve children's nutrition and mitigate the risks of school dropouts, reaching 1.3 million schoolchildren throughout the year. Through its initiative to prevent malnutrition, WFP reached 23,327 vulnerable children and pregnant and lactating women and girls with specialized nutritious foods. Aiming to reduce malnutrition and contribute to gender equality, WFP designed radio episodes to sensitize that childcare is the responsibility of men and women. WFP reached 240,595 people through resilience-building activities, including community asset creation, rehabilitation and environmental conservation. To address the needs of food-insecure communities in the short- and long-term, WFP stepped up to assist 139,500 beneficiaries in the areas most affected by heavy rains and Tropical Storm Julia. Overall, through its emergency response programme, WFP assisted 363,500 people.
Following the 2021 Honduran general elections, in January 2022, President Xiomara Castro announced her cabinet. To ensure the continuity of activities carried out with the previous administration, WFP advised the authorities appointed by President Castro on emergency response and preparedness. This consolidated WFP’s partnership with the Secretary of State in the National Risk and Contingency Management Offices. Moreover, WFP continued its role as co-coordinator of the Food Security and Nutrition Cluster and facilitated the process for the Humanitarian Needs Overview.
WFP played an essential role in generating evidence on the state of food security and nutrition in the country. In 2022, WFP participated in the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis [1] and jointly conducted damage and needs assessments with the Food Security and Nutrition Cluster. WFP also contributed to data collection on the state of food security and malnutrition of children under 5 and analysed livelihood recovery post-pandemic. Besides serving as references for the 2023 IPC exercise, the results of these studies will be used by WFP and stakeholders for targeting criteria and to inform programme design.
WFP and the International Organization for Migration conducted a Migration study in Central America to inform strategic policy discussions by exploring the factors influencing the decision to migrate in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and the costs and implications of migration for the region. To complement the study, WFP conducted a rapid assessment of the mixed migratory flows to identify the characteristics of migratory movements, the needs of migrants along the journey, and costs and key recommendations to inform evidence-based interventions. This study will guide WFP's commitment to targeting food assistance where it is most needed and examine how its activities in Honduras can deliver more effective results particularly in managing the negative consequences of migration.
Altogether, these efforts aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) have successfully contributed to changing lives and saving lives in Honduras.
WFP Honduras's country strategic plan (CSP) for 2023-2027 was informed by the CSP evaluation carried in 2021 and approved by the Executive Board in November 2022.