Sri Lanka Multi-Dimensional Crisis Situation Report No. 7 (7 November 2022)

This report is produced by the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) on behalf of the ISCG. The updates below cover activities carried out between 24 September – 31 October and provide an overview of response activities to meet the needs articulated in the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) Plan and its subsequent revision.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan has been extended until the end of 2022, recognizing the continuing humanitarian needs across multiple sectors.

• To date, US$72.8 million have been contributed by donors towards the HNP, which includes generous contributions from Australia, the United States, Japan, Canada, Norway, New Zealand and the European Union.

• In late October, a consignment of 500 metric tons of rice from China arrived in Colombo port. An additional 500 MT is expected to arrive in the coming week. Both shipments are intended for general food distributions.

• In a recent briefing to external creditors, Sri Lankan authorities reportedly mentioned that they expect approval by the IMF Management and Executive Board of the US$2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) by midDecember. On 03 November, media reported that Sri Lanka will likely have to wait until March 2023 to secure the loan.

• On 12 October, the World Bank released the 2022 Sri Lanka Development Update, which highlights that the ongoing economic crisis has doubled the poverty rate (US$3.65 per capita, 2017 PPP) from 13.1 to 25.6 percent between 2021 and 2022.

KEY FIGURES

7.0 M People in Need

3.4 M People Targeted

OVER 1M People Reached (As of 28 October 2022)

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Sri Lanka continues to face a multidimensional crisis compounded by food insecurity, threatened livelihoods, shortages of vital and essential medicines, as well as rising protection concerns. The economic crisis is the worst since Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948 and is having humanitarian consequences for the most vulnerable people in the country. A 40 percent reduction in agricultural outputs in the 2021/2022 Maha and 50 percent reduction during the 2022 Yala seasons have further exacerbated the situation. Forecasts for the 2022/2023 Maha season indicate a significantly reduced harvest as well, which, coupled with a food inflation of 85.6 percent in October, means that a significant part of the population is finding it difficult to meet basic needs.

According to the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM), acute food insecurity has risen dramatically as a result of import shortages, soaring prices, livelihood disruptions and reduced household level purchasing power. It is estimated that 6.3 million people, or 28 percent of the population, are found to be moderately to severely food insecure, disproportionately affecting female headed households, people engaged in informal work as well as people with disabilities.

Recognizing the continuing humanitarian needs, it was agreed that the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan will be extended until the end of 2022, complementing existing emergency operations carried out by the UN and humanitarian partners. Focusing on life-saving priorities for the most vulnerable people, the HNP revision will increase the number of people being targeted to 3.4 million across all sectors. Securing the food security of vulnerable people is one key component under the HNP, which will be achieved through providing in-kind food assistance and cash and voucher (CVA) assistance to 2.4 million people. Around 1.5 million farmers and fishers will continue to receive cash support and agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilizer. Nutritional support will be provided to 2.1 million people, including schoolchildren through the provision of school meals, as well as pregnant and lactating women. Children suffering from moderate to severe acute malnutrition will continue to receive treatment with ready to use therapeutic food. Access to safe drinking water will be provided to over 900,000 people, and essential medicines and healthcare, including for sexual and reproductive health, will be provided to well over 850,000 people. Protection services, particularly for vulnerable children and victims of genderbased violence, will continue thanks to the HNP. Lastly, schoolchildren will continue to be supported with teaching-learning materials, preventing school-dropouts in resource poor schools island-wide.

Complementary to the HNP, the IFRC launched an emergency appeal which aims to target around 500,000 people with multipurpose cash, livelihoods, health, WASH and protection interventions. This appeal is based on IFRCs Needs Assessment Report presented in October. The assessment further underlines the HCTs projection that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate unless immediate assistance is provided.