ReliefWeb

Rapid exhaustion of food stocks and abnormally high food prices increase food insecurity

KEY MESSAGES

• Apart from the North, where the majority of poor households remain in None (IPC Phase 1), acute food insecurity outcomes have largely worsened since June. In most of the South and parts of the central region, there are larger numbers of poor households facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes. In addition, a small proportion of households in these areas, especially in the conflict-affected areas in the central region, are likely facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4), due to large food consumption gaps and/or the extreme loss of livelihood assets.

• Second season production, which usually peaks in August, is well below average in both the South and central areas due to reduced residual moisture. The poor second season production is contributing to even lower food availability and income from agricultural labor. As a result, more and more households are forced to engage in unsustainable self-employment activities, such as charcoal sales, leading to increasing competition and a rapid degradation of forest resources.

• Staple food prices remain extremely high, further constraining household purchasing power. In July, maize grain prices continued to rise, but the increase was not as large as it was in June. On average, from June to July, maize grain prices increased by 11 percent, while substitutes, such as maize meal and rice, remained stable.