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Overview
Balochistan is the most vulnerable province in Pakistan, with a high prevalence of acute food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty. In the second half of 2022, the food security situation further deteriorated because of high food and fuel prices, drought, monsoon rains/flash flooding, livestock diseases and reduced employment opportunities. An estimated of 1.29 million people representing 33 percent of the rural population analysed are classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and Phase 4 (Emergency) in the current period (July-August 2022), corresponding to the kharif crop season and monsoon period. These include around 0.94 million people (24 percent of the rural population) in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and around 0.35 million people (9 percent of the rural population) in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) across the twelve districts analysed. Urgent action is therefore required to protect livelihoods and reduce food consumption gaps of people in Crisis and to save lives and livelihoods of people in Emergency.
All twelve analysed districts, namely Chagai, Gwadar, Harnai, Kech, Kharan, Killa Abdullah, Loralai, Nushki, Panjgur, Pishin, Washuk and Zhob are classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) during the current analysis period.
In the projection period (September-December 2022), corresponding to the harvesting of Kharif season crops and sowing of Rabi season crops, the number of people in Crisis and Emergency phases is expected to increase to 1.61 million from 1.29 million, representing 41 percent of the rural population, an increase of 0.32 million or 25 percent more people in need of urgent action compared to the current period. Area phase classification of all twelve analysed districts remains unchanged; all districts are classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), as in the current period.
The analysed districts experienced multiple shocks that include high inflation associated with the country’s internal economic situation and the Russia-Ukraine crisis, drought/inadequate rainfall and heat waves during the first half of 2022, followed by heavy monsoon rains and flooding beginning in July and livestock diseases/deaths, which resulted in poor food security outcomes for the current period. The food security situation in the projection period is likely to deteriorate further due to the devastating impacts of one of the worst monsoon floodings, which has damaged the Kharif crops, caused livestock losses and adversely affected the food production, availability of food and livelihood opportunities. Food access will be challenging because of the continuous increase in food commodity prices, and reduced livelihood opportunities post-flooding likely contributed to higher food insecurity during the projection period.