WFP Somalia Country Brief, October 2017

Highlights

• Light to moderate Deyr rains in October point to the likelihood of a fourth consecutive poor rainy season and further deterioration of the food security situation until at least early 2018.

• WFP requires USD 215 million in order to continue providing relief assistance and lifesaving nutrition services to the most vulnerable people throughout the country for the next six months (November 2017-April 2018)

Operational Updates

• Despite the onset on the Deyr rains, most parts of the country remain abnormally dry, resulting in very poor cropping conditions and well below average pasture. In Somaliland and Puntland, the Deyr rains started in late September, bringing temporary relief to drought affected households and their animals.
  However, the rains have remained below average and poorly distributed with minimum pasture regeneration and water availability.

• In Central Somalia, the rains temporarily improved rangeland conditions and supported the germination of cowpea crops. However, the improvement was short lived and cowpea crops are currently experiencing moisture stress due to limited rainfall after germination. Southern Somalia has received light to moderate rainfall, except parts of Middle and Lower Shabelle that are yet to receive any rain.
  Overall, October rainfall in most southern regions has been 50 percent below average and insufficient for pasture and water restoration or to support crop development.

• Prices of local cereals remain high in most regions of the country due to a decline in the supply of cereals into the markets following three consecutive poor harvests. In the main markets in Bosasso, sorghum prices increased significantly in October, due to high inflation in Puntland as a result of newly printed fake money and devaluation of the Somali shilling. In Somaliland, compared to one year ago, the Somaliland shilling depreciated by 32 percent due to increased supply of newly printed local currency notes and a decline of US dollar injection into the markets because of reduced livestock exports and export revenue. Livestock prices increased in most markets countrywide, except in Bakool, Hiiraan and Gedo regions in central Somalia, where prices declined up to 20 percent due to poor livestock body conditions. Compared to 2016, milk prices increased from moderate to high due to low supply.

• In October, WFP reached 2.49 million people with emergency food and cash-based assistance. Of these, 770,000 mothers and children received nutrition support through WFP’s curative and preventative programs.