Sri Lanka Multi-Dimensional Crisis Situation Report No. 9 (02 December 2022)

This report is produced by the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) on behalf of the Sri Lanka ISCG. The updates below cover activities carried out between 12 November – 25 November 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

• Humanitarian interventions under the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities plan have expanded in recent weeks. In particular, nutrition interventions have scaled up considerably, increasing by 26% within the reporting period.

• To date and under the current humanitarian response, approximately 1.5 million people have received assistance. This includes more than 390,000 children who are regularly receiving school meals prepared with WFP-provided rice.

• US$92.7 million out of the requested US$149.7 million have been contributed by donors towards the HNP, making the appeal 61.9% funded.

• The year-on-year inflation for November was at 61%, down from 66% in October after having reached a high of 69.8% in September.

• On 13 November, 2,000 MT of urea fertilizer reached Colombo port. This is the second vessel with fertilizer to arrive in Sri Lanka under the financial assistance of US$105 Million given by the World Bank to buy urea fertilizer for supporting paddy and maize crops during the Maha season.

• The Sri Lankan government has lifted the ban on the herbicide Glyphosate, which was imposed seven years ago.

• According to the latest Food Security Update by the World Bank, Sri Lanka has the sixth highest food inflation in the world, presently at 85.6 percent.

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 many 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.

The food security situation continues to be problematic with around three in ten households consuming insufficient food. According to WFP’s Market Functionality Index, traders are reporting a slight scarcity of cereals. In particular, flour, bread and millet are less available than in previous months. According to the World Bank, Sri Lanka currently has the 6th highest food price inflation in the world.

The implementation rate of humanitarian activities under the HNP has seen a substantial increase in recent weeks, due largely to commodities and resources arriving in Sri Lanka at a faster pace than before. In total, around 1.5 million people have received assistance as of the end of November. Approximately 394,000 school children have so far benefitted from regular school meals prepared with WFP-provided rice, and work is underway to reach approximately one million children over the next few months. Household level in-kind and cash & voucher assistance provided by humanitarian partners continues at an increased pace, as is the distribution of urea fertilizer to smallholder farmers. With regard to nutritional support, WFP aims to reach one million pregnant and lactating women as well as children under five, who will receive Thriposha, a soy and maize based nutritious food aimed at minimizing and preventing maternal and child malnutrition.

The window of opportunity to support Sri Lankan farmers and their communities secure livelihoods in the face of an anticipated weak Maha harvest is narrowing. Immediate action to provide farmers with quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides will enable them to protect their livelihoods and feed themselves and their communities. It is also critical to provide the most vulnerable farmers, livestock keepers and fishers with cash assistance to enable them to restore their productive assets and fast-track their recovery. UNICEF, UNFPA and implementing partners are continuing to provide protection support to vulnerable women and children, and WHO is continuing to support the Ministry of Health primarily with the procurement of essential medicines and other medical supplies.

Several Assessments on the food security and nutritional situation are either ongoing or planned. The results of these assessments will inform decisions on the future requirements for humanitarian assistance. Among these, data from the recently completed micronutrient survey undertaken by the Medical Research Institute (MRI), supported by WFP and UNICEF, is currently being analyzed.