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WFP El Niño 2015-2016: Preparedness and Response Situation Report #2, 28 January 2016

Attachments

Highlights

  • As the impact of El Nino translates into increased food assistance needs across most areas of WFP’s operations, WFP could be stretched operationally and financially during 2016.

  • Urgent action is needed to enable WFP to sustain its food and nutrition assistance to affected populations and to help reduce their vulnerability to further shocks.

  • The negative impact of El Nino on food security also highlights the necessity of increased investment in disaster-risk reduction, early warning, climate-change adaptation and resilience building.

Situation Update

  • In Eastern Africa, Ethiopia is now facing a major emergency related to what could be the worst drought in 50 years. El Niño has caused drought in northwestern Somalia, while also causing floods in the southern and central areas since October 2015.

  • Widespread drought-induced crop failures have hit several countries in Southern Africa. Most of the region is still in the early stages of the 2015-2016 crop season. WFP is facing numerous funding challenges in all of the affected countries.

  • In Central America, the Dry Corridor – a droughtprone area shared by Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua – suffered significant crop losses in both 2014 and again in 2015. Exacerbated by El Niño, the 2015 drought caused major losses for small producers during the Primera (first) season.

  • Severe drought in Haiti has caused many farmers to lose a significant part of the harvest they depend on to feed their families. According to FEWS Net projections, the number of Haitians facing a crisis level of food insecurity could rise to 1.5 million by March 2016.

  • A Food Security Monitoring Bulletin produced jointly by WFP and the Government of Indonesia found that almost one-third of all provinces and 70 percent of all rice fields were affected by drought which is forecast to continue through January 2016.

  • In the Philippines, drought conditions are expected to remain a problem through the first three months of 2016.

  • In Papua New Guinea, the Government estimates that more than 2.7 million people are affected by prolonged drought and severe frost (FAO).