Main Findings
• The overall food security situation within the covered locations in February 2011 shows that rural camps are more food insecure compared to urban camps. The stable food security situation in urban camps is mainly attributed to more income opportunities, regular food distribution and a smaller price increase for essential commodities in the urban markets.
• Data collection was carried out in mid‐February 2011, which is considered to be the postharvest season. Food consumption score has slightly decreased among IDPs compared to November 2010. Nevertheless, the majority of households have an acceptable food consumption score.
• Only 13 out of the planned 21 sentinel sites have been reached due to insecurity and movement restriction. This has resulted in less than planned numbers of households being interviewed for mixed and resident communities, hence only Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) group is represented in the report.
• During the first quarter of 2011, prices of cereals (millet and sorghum) in Nyala market were stable compared to prices recorded during the same period last year. However, the terms of trade (ToT) between the price of a medium size goat and a 90‐kg bag of sorghum is in favor of livestock owners.
• The price of the minimum healthy food basket has significantly increased to 1.59 SDG/per capita compared to November 2010, when the price was 1.27 SDG. This increase in prices is due to the increase in the price of essential food items such as cereals, sugar and oil. This has negatively affected the purchasing power of IDPs. It was indicated that 66 percent of the interviewed IDP households were unable to cover the cost of one food basket.
• The proportion of households spending more than 65 percent of their income on food has increased in the five rural locations covered in February 2011.
• There is a slight decrease in the percentage of children (6‐23 months) who consume more than four food groups compared to November 2010. However, compared to August 2010, the situation has reportedly improved.