ReliefWeb

Food insecurity expected to accentuate significantly following poor season in the northeast

• Following well below-average Vuli production, poor households in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Pwani, and Tanga regions are likely to be in Stressed (IPC Phase 2) through May, until the Msimu harvest eases staple food prices. Over half of the maize crop is lost, following marked rainfall deficits through most of the Vuli season. However, with improved food availability in July, following the Msimu and Masika harvests, Minimal (IPC Phase 1) is expected to prevail across the country, except for the refugee population, which is projected to be in Stressed (IPC Phase 2) through September.
• Maize and rice prices rose uncharacteristically in January across markets, while bean prices declined marginally, following harvests in December and January. Poor Vuli production is expected to sustain high staple food prices as households rely on the market even earlier for food purchases until the Msimu harvest begins in May in the southern surplus-producing highlands.
• According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of February 12, Tanzania hosted 290,000 refugees, about 226,000 from Burundi. An average of 600 people arrived daily during February, which was a significant drop from previous months. Funding gaps that persisted during 2016 have been moderated somewhat by additional funding, and a full pipeline break anticipated in March was averted.