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2015-2016 El Niño: WFP and FAO Overview (As of 15 March 2016)

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Globally, millions of vulnerable people are experiencing increased hunger and poverty due to droughts and floods as a result of a climatic occurrence: El Niño. This phenomenon is not an individual weather event but a climate pattern which occurs every two to seven years and lasts 9-12 months. This particular occurrence is one of the most severe in a half-century and the strongest El Niño since 1997/1998 which killed some 21,000 people and caused damage to infrastructure worth US$ 36 billion. According to the World Bank, agriculture prices are projected to decline 1.4 percent across almost all commodities groups despite fears of El Niño disruptions, though there are impacts on local commodity prices in many countries throughout Latin America and Southern Africa. The negative consequences of El Niño are foreseen to continue for months to come, particularly in Southern Africa. Food Security Cluster partners have put preparedness actions in place and have responded globally. The global Food Security Cluster is providing support to WFP, FAO, and food security partners through continual monitoring of information, and dissemination of such data to stakeholders for El Niño affected countries, ensuring that country level coordination mechanisms are well equipped to employ preparedness actions and responses, advocating for additional resources to affected countries, and support to country level clusters.