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The conflict in northern provinces of Mozambique remains the main driver of acute food insecurity and malnutrition, exacerbating inequalities and affecting income generating opportunities in the region. In the first quarter of the year armed insurgency has intensified, resulting in increased humanitarian access challenges, as the second largest wave of IDPs ever recorded. According to a FEWS NET food security update in February 2024, Cabo Delgado province is in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) as areas previously classified as Stressed (IPC Phase 2) have recently experienced violent events and insecurity.
Since the beginning of January, covering essential needs became more expensive because the Mozambican Tax Authority (AT) started charging Value Added Tax (VAT) on basic needs such as sugar, cooking oil, and soap. For example, until the end of December 2023 a kg of sugar was sold at 1.11-1.26 USD and from January the price recorded was in the range 1.42-1.74 USD, presenting an increase between 20% and 38%. Overall, the purchasing power of households who rely on food purchased from local markets has depleted drastically compared to the beginning of 2023 due to higher prices of staple food caused by then protracted conflict and below-average harvest in the previous agricultural season.
Highlights
❑ High vulnerability persists: Overall food insecurity levels in both displaced and non-displaced people during the lean season period remain high and present significant increase compared to the last post-harvest assessment conducted in August 2023. The average, not weighted, prevalence of food insecurity in the province of Cabo Delgado is 66%, almost 30% higher than in the last post-harvest season (37%).
❑ Displaced households in the districts of Mocimboa Da Praia, Mueda, Namuno, Chiure and Balama present very preoccupying levels of food insecurity, all with prevalence above 85%. Very alarming prevalence of poor and borderline food consumption were observed in Balama, Mocimba da Praia and Namuno, where more than 20% of displaced households reported extremely low food consumption.
❑ High use of food consumption related coping strategies: 45% of the households in Cabo Delgado are resorting in more than one negative food related coping strategy to satisfy food needs, between them going to bed without eating or adults skipping meals to allow children to eat. Also In this dimension displaced households appear more vulnerable as they present more alarming use of negative coping strategies compared to resident households, In particular in Macomia,
Metuge, Namuno, Mecufi and Mocimboa da Praia.
❑ Alarming use of livelihood related coping strategies: 59% of interviewed households reported using crisis and emergency coping strategies to satisfy immediate food needs for their families, depleting their assets and hampering their capacity to cope with future shocks.