Attachments
In Numbers
3.4 million people are being prioritized to receive assistance from WFP in 2022
6.3 million people estimated to be food insecure (according to preliminary findings of the Crop and Food Security Assessment)
31,724 people reached by WFP in August 2022
Highlights
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WFP’s scale-up continues to accelerate, with 24,872 people reached with cash assistance in the past week.
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Throughout August, WFP reached 31,724 people with cash assistance, with a further 57,528 in progress through government social protection systems. This comes as part of WFP’s scale-up to reach 3.4 million additional people in 2022.
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WFP’s Regional Director met with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on 1 September, reaffirming WFP’s commitment to the people of Sri Lanka in the current crisis.
Situation Update
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Sri Lanka continues to grapple with its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. As prices continue to skyrocket, there are serious concerns that the food security situation could deteriorate even further.
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Prices in urban areas of the capital city of Colombo continue to skyrocket; the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) jumped to 64.3 percent in August (year-on-year). This marked yet another concerning spike, up from 60.8 percent in July.
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The impact of the situation has been pronounced, with an estimated 6.3 million people facing food insecurity, according to preliminary findings from WFP and FAO’s Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission.
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Fuel scarcity has been causing severe disruptions in the supply chain and market – increasing pressures on domestic commodity prices. (WFP Market Monitor)
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The situation is forcing people to resort to drastic measures. Around four in five households are relying on food-based coping strategies like limiting portion sizes and skipping meals to cope.