Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP): Madagascar Flash Appeal 2009 - Revision

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Madagascar Flash Appeal was launched on 7 April 2009 in response to three concurrent crises affecting the country. The first concerned a period of political instability and violence since the beginning of the year, leading to the ousting of President Ravalomanana on 17 March 2009 and the subsequent installation of a Transitional Authority. The second concerned the drought leading to generalized food insecurity and severe child malnutrition in three regions in the south of the country. The third crisis involved the effects of cyclones and flooding along the eastern and south-western coasts, affecting over 114,000 people.

At the time of the drafting of the Appeal, one of the major humanitarian concerns was the potential effect of the political crisis on the already precarious situation of large segments of the Malagasy population, through disruptions in basic social services, delays or cessation of development projects, and job losses. Although to date the impact has not been as devastating as feared, the situation in Madagascar remains unstable and far from resolved. The ongoing uncertainty is clearly exacerbating an already fragile economy weakened by the global economic recession.

The second major concern was the potential compounding effect of the political crisis in exacerbating the impact of natural disasters by diverting attention and delaying assessments and response. Although this also has not occurred to the extent feared, UN-led assessments carried out shortly after the Appeal was launched showed that the most urgent humanitarian needs were – and continue to be – in the drought-affected south. The availability of basic services has become unpredictable, and there is a general mood of disaffection within the civil service. New appointments are occurring at all levels and experienced, trained technical staff is being replaced. As a result, assessment, coordination and delivery capacity of traditional governmental partners has been hampered.

With regard to cyclones and flooding, the humanitarian response was largely covered through prepositioned stocks and re-allocation of funding from other programmes to meet the most urgent needs in the areas of water, sanitation and education. The exception was the rehabilitation of schools. Preparedness levels for the next cyclone season are inadequate, both in terms of stocks and of the efficiency of coordination mechanisms in the present socio-political context.

At present, some humanitarian breathing space has been accorded to Madagascar, in terms of all three crises. In the south, the counter-season harvest of June 2009 has stabilized prices in local markets and is enabling previously food-insecure areas to achieve a measure of self-sufficiency in the short-term. However, the respite is expected to be brief and insufficient to enable families to meet basic needs during the traditional lean season, which runs from September through December. Furthermore, the number of severely malnourished children being detected is already higher than originally targeted in the Appeal. It is now estimated that up to 7,000 children require nutritional support, as compared to the previously estimated 4,000, along with family protection rations, and related health, water and sanitation activities.

Traditionally food-insecure communities in urban areas, half of which depend on agriculture, are currently able to meet short-term nutritional needs through the seasonal harvest. Furthermore, the country as a whole is benefiting from this year's good rice harvest, with Madagascar close to achieving self-sufficiency in rice for 2009, following on investments made in 2008. Although falling domestic prices of rice are helping to mitigate the immediate impacts of the socio-political crisis in cities, there are signs that coping strategies will quickly wear thin. In view of the ongoing manipulation of media and youth, the eroding economy and increasingly precarious livelihoods of urban households, concerns are raised over the potential humanitarian consequences if the situation is not resolved peacefully.

In light of the above, the Flash Appeal is being revised downwards by 37%, from its original amount of US$ 35,732,550 to $22,347,698. The Madagascar Humanitarian Country Team is therefore seeking revised requirements of $22,347,698. Of this, $11,681,860 has been funded, leaving unmet requirements of $10,665,838. Of this, 73% is for drought-related activities, 12% in response to the socio-political crisis and 15% for cyclone response. Overall, activities under the revised Flash Appeal aim to assist some 516,000 people, of which 276,000 have been affected by the drought, 140,000 beneficiaries in urban areas are affected by the socio-political crisis, and 100,000 people in response to cyclone-related activities.

The appeal period is being extended from three to six months, to the beginning of October 2009, to focus on life-saving and/or clearly defined safety net activities for pockets of acute vulnerability that cannot sustain additional shocks, as well as on specific activities to reduce tensions and advance human rights. While the Appeal has primarily focused on the delivery of life-saving emergency assistance in the south, there is also a need for time-critical early recovery elements to support livelihoods. A steep decline in the economic situation and a further weakening of the rule of law could contribute to Madagascar sliding into greater unrest or even armed conflict. In this context, human rights monitoring and promoting social cohesion take on added significance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Table I. Summary of requirements, commitments/contributions and pledges (grouped by cluster)

Table II. Summary of requirements, commitments/contributions and pledges (grouped by priority)

Table III. Summary of requirements, commitments/contributions and pledges (grouped by appealing Organization

2. CONTEXT AND HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES

2.1 CONTEXT

2.2 RESPONSE TO DATE

2.3 HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES AND NEEDS ANALYSIS

3. RESPONSE PLANS

3.1 FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

3.2 NUTRITION

3.3 WATER AND SANITATION

3.4 EDUCATION

3.5 HEALTH

3.6 PROTECTION

3.7 COORDINATION AND COMMON SERVICES

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ANNEX I. FULL PROJECT LIST AND FUNDING TABLES

Table IV. Appeal projects grouped by cluster (with hyperlinks to open full project details)

Table V. Total funding per donor (to projects listed in the Appeal)

Table VI. Summary of requirements, commitments/contributions and pledges (grouped by IASC standard sector

ANNEX II. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Please note that appeals are revised regularly. The latest version of this document is available on http://www.humanitarianappeal.net

Full project details can be viewed, downloaded and printed from www.reliefweb.int/fts

Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format.

Full Original Appeal [pdf* format] [zipped MS Word format]

* Get the Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

For additional copies, please contact:

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Palais des Nations
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
CH - 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel.: (41 22) 917.1972
Fax: (41 22) 917.0368
E-Mail: cap@reliefweb.int