Attachments
In Numbers
11,294,95 mt of food distributed
US$7 million in cash and vouchers distributed
197,192 people assisted in February 2023
Situation Updates
• In the face of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, food insecurity remains at concerning levels. 32 percent of households are food-insecure, according to WFP’s latest Household Food Security Survey (February 2023).
• According to the latest Colombo Consumer Price Index, food inflation (year-on-year) in urban areas of Colombo was at 54.4 percent in February.
• A joint Food Security Assessment (CFSAM) by the Government of Sri Lanka, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and WFP is ongoing. It is targeting 15,000 households from 25 districts. This is a follow-up to the CFSAM conducted in May 2022.
• Markets continued to report concerns around price volatility in January, according to WFP’s Market Functionality Index. However, markets remain functional and currently have a wide range of products, adequate physical availability of essential goods and a resilient supply chain.
Operational updates
Emergency response
WFP plans to assist 3.4 million people through general food distribution, school meals and nutrition support.
• Since the start of emergency operations in June 2022, WFP has reached 547,264 people with cash assistance and 486,096 with in-kind food assistance. This is a result of WFP’s response scaleup aimed at reaching 1.4 million people through unconditional food assistance (cash or in-kind).
• As of February 2023, WFP distributed rice to 7,593 schools, reaching 1,065,686 children. WFP surpassed its plan to support 1 million children with school meals through the Government’s national school meals programme in 2022.
• WFP is coordinating with the Government and partners to provide raw food commodities (maize and soybean) to the Government’s Thriposha1 facility which is targeting approximately 1 million pregnant and lactating women and young. children with nutritious food support. Thriposha distributions have started, and assistance figures will be reported in the coming weeks.