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Vanuatu

Vanuatu - mVAM Bulletin - October–December 2024

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The data presented here was collected from 1,306 households across Vanuatu by the World Food Programme's mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (mVAM) survey. The data collected through telephone interviews conducted using random-digit dialing across six provinces during the period from October to November 2024.

MVAM SURVEY BACKGROUND

Vanuatu experienced a series of severe tropical cyclones in 2023, resulting in extensive damage, supply chain disruptions, reduced agricultural production, and significant impacts on economic activity and growth prospects throughout 2024.

These events substantially affected households' food security conditions, including consumption patterns and nutrition status, particularly in rural communities heavily reliant on subsistence agriculture. In 2024, many households in Malampa and Penama, impacted by Tropical Cyclone Lola, and in Shefa and Tafea, affected by Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin, were recovering from the impacts of the cyclones.

A devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck 30 km west of the capital city, Port Vila, on December 17, 2024, severely damaging infrastructure in and around Port Vila in Shefa Province. This new disaster is likely to exacerbate the ongoing recovery challenges from the 2023 cyclones. Timely, targeted, and adequate response and recovery efforts are critical to preventing further deterioration in food security and nutrition.

HOUSEHOLD FOOD CONSUMPTION

In October 2024, 67 percent of households in Vanuatu reported acceptable food consumption patterns—a significant decline from the same period in the previous year, when nearly 97 percent of households had acceptable levels. Meanwhile, 16 percent of households reported borderline food consumption, and 17 percent had poor dietary diversity and limited consumption of key food groups, based on a seven-day recall.

The quality and diversity of diets in Vanuatu remained relatively favorable, with the average household consuming more vegetables and fruits and smaller quantities of fats and sugars. However, significant variations were observed across the six provinces. Many households across the country consumed insufficient quantities of micronutrient-rich foods, including those containing heme iron, proteins, and Vitamin A.

Thirty nine percent of the interviewed households at national level had not sufficient intake of Hem Iron, reflecting a 3 percent increase compared to September 2023. Additionally, 7 percent of households reported not including iron-rich foods in their diet over the past 7 days, a 4 percent increase from the same period last year. Hem Iron is a vital micronutrient essential for preventing anemia and is found in higher quantities in animal-based proteins such as meat, poultry, and fish. Iron is particularly important for nursing women and for supporting the growth and development of children.