ReliefWeb

The delayed start of rainfall and the prolonged dry spell in the first cropping cycle of 2014 have had a negative impact on the food security situation of affected households, mainly on the most vulnerable households.

An assessment of the impact of the prolonged dry spell on basic grains production and the food security and nutritional status of affected, vulnerable households was conducted in September 2014. The joint assessment was carried by the Technical Unit for Food and Nutrition Security (UTSAN) in collaboration with the Regional Food and Nutrition Security entities, the Secretary of Health, PESA-FAO, Childfund, local governments, CARE, UNAH and the WFP. The assessment involved a household survey and community-level key informant interviews.

The affected municipalities identified by COPECO within the framework of the Inter-institutional Drought Committee comprised the universe of the study. The sample included 480 households in these affected area. Thirty communities and 16 households within each of them were randomly selected to be interviewed for the implementation of the study.

More tan half of the communities indicated that the impact of the prolonged dry spell was larger than the impact of similar events in the past. Also, most of the communities indicated that more than 70% of the subsistence farmer households suffered crop losses.

The assessment found that 27% of households are moderately food insecure and 9% severely food insecure.

A 3.4% of children under five-years-old have moderate acute malnutrition, which represents 7,200 children.