Released Jointly by The Food Security Analysis Unit for Somalia (FAO/FSAU) and FEWSNET Somalia
The food security and nutrition situation has deteriorated dramatically since March in the Lower and Middle Shabelle regions of Somalia, generally the most resilient region and 'bread basket' of the country. This region is reeling under the impact of multiple recent shocks, including the lowest cereal crop production in a decade (44% of Post War Average) due to below normal Gu season rains, sharp rates of inflation (40% to 60% increases in last three months), disruptions in trade and economic activities, a high and increasing concentration of displaced people fleeing from Mogadishu, deteriorating health conditions following an Acute Watery Diarrhoea outbreak and continuing and escalating civil insecurity. All of these shocks in a short period of time have resulted in a sudden on-set Humanitarian Emergency with high rates of acute and severe malnutrition affecting more than 600,000 people in Lower and Middle Shabelle and Mogadishu.
The results of the Gu 2007 seasonal field assessment, just released by FSAU, FEWSNET and partners, confirm that although some of the drought and flood affected regions, including Juba and Gedo, have improved, the overall number of people in need of assistance in Somalia has increased since March due to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Shabelle regions. The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased from 1 million to 1.5 million. Of this 1.5 million people, 295,000 are in Humanitarian Emergency (HE) requiring life saving interventions, while 490,000 are in Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis (AFLC) requiring livelihood support. In addition, there are 325,000 people who are newly displaced from Mogadishu and 400,000 already displaced requiring both life and livelihood saving interventions (see Map and Population Table on back page).
Most or 85% of those identified in Humanitarian Emergency and 31% identified in Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis are in the Shabelle regions. Recent nutrition surveys confirm that the acute malnutrition rates in the Shabelle regions are currently above emergency threshold levels (GAM > 15%), with alarmingly high rates of severe acute malnutrition (SAM > 4.0%). Urgent complementary humanitarian assistance focused on immediate needs is required, including food, clean water, health services, shelter and sanitation, as well as protection against the complete loss of livelihood assets to ensure future recovery. "Advocacy to cease the tide of civil insecurity and political instability at all levels is critical," says Cindy Holleman UN FAO CTA of the FSAU, "to allow greater humanitarian access, to encourage the resumption of economic activities, and to prevent a further slide into an even greater humanitarian crisis of increased magnitude and scale."
Other results from the field assessment confirm that the food security situation for the riverine and agro-pastoralists in Hiran region continues to deteriorate. On the positive side, the assessment shows improvement in parts of Lower and Middle Juba, as well as Gedo regions as communities continue to recover from the effects of the 2005/06 drought and Deyr '06/07 floods. Still, however, there is a critical need in these regions for strategic sector interventions to assist the recovery of livelihoods and address underlying chronic problems of access to clean water, health care and poor caring practices. Without these strategic and timely responses the communities will continue to be vulnerable to humanitarian crisis.
A special FSAU Food Security and Nutrition Brief and a Nutrition Update will be released later this week.