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Somalia: Drought in key northern and northeastern pastoral regions threatens livestock

Estimated food security conditions, 2nd Quarter 2009 (April-June)

Generally Food Secure
Moderately Food Insecure
Highly Food Insecure
Extremely Food Insecure
Famine
No Data

Favorable Conditions
Somewhat Favorable Conditions
Short Term Dryness
Drought
Severe Drought
Humanitarian Concern

Extreme Event
Heavy Snow
Heavy Rain
Flooding
Blowing Dust
Extreme Cold
Extreme Heat

Geographic data are partly derived from the UN/FAO GAUL system. Read Disclaimer

West Africa

Nigeria

07/02/2009

In the North, household food security is stable with the exception of the extreme north where a delay in the start of the rainy season has caused crops that ... more
- In the North, household food security is stable with the exception of the extreme north where a delay in the start of the rainy season has caused crops that were planted with pre-season rains in May and June to fail. A prolonged delay could exacerbate food insecurity in the areas as traders, middle-income, and rich households will withhold their stocks triggering a drop in market food supplies and price increases.
- Though households in northern markets are increasingly turning to markets as household food stores thin and the northern hunger season approaches, northern markets are well supplied, and millet and maize prices have trended downward, easing household food insecurity.
Nigeria Country Center
Burkina Faso | Chad | Mali | Mauritania | Niger | Regional Center

Southern Africa

Mozambique

06/24/2009

Despite some improvement in the overall food security, in the semi‐arid districts of southern Tete province and northwest Gaza province, and the semi‐arid di ... more
- Despite some improvement in the overall food security, in the semi‐arid districts of southern Tete province and northwest Gaza province, and the semi‐arid district of Sofala province, households are at high risk of food insecurity in the very near future, and moderate levels of food insecurity are expected to continue throughout the consumption year.
- The Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (SETSAN) projected that as early as August an estimated 175,000 persons in the critical districts in the provinces of Tete, Gaza and Sofala are in need of food aid, until the 2009/2010 harvest, while an additional 72,000 persons among poor households in Maputo and Inhambane provinces will require food aid from October until April 2010.
- Food insecurity could also affect households living in some districts of Nampula and Zambezia provinces where poor households will likely need assistance. Given better functionality of the markets in these areas, SETSAN recommends cash transfers are from October or beyond until April 2010.
- The most recent weekly report from the Agriculture Market Information System (SIMA), indicates that weekly maize prices at the consumer level have been generally stable with small fluctuations in the central zone where some increases were observed. Prices are expected to start rising within the next month.
Mozambique Country Center
Malawi | Zambia | Zimbabwe | Regional Center

Caribbean

Haiti

06/19/2009

According to the Directorate for Civil Protection, the last heavy rains from 17 to 21 May 2009 resulted in 13 dead, 5 missing, 2117 families affected, 512 ... more
- According to the Directorate for Civil Protection, the last heavy rains from 17 to 21 May 2009 resulted in 13 dead, 5 missing, 2117 families affected, 512 houses damaged, and roads affected. This illustrates once again the extreme vulnerability of Haiti to weather. These damages occurred even as institutions are concerned were preparing for the hurricane season. Despite this devastating situation for this month, the incidence of food insecurity has declined significantly.
- Field observations revealed an increase of cultivated area by 15% to 20% for the 2009 spring season. The execution of emergency programs and agricultural promotion plans (subsidizing fertilizers, distributing inputs and agricultural tools, labor-intensive activities) remains one of main explanatory factors. Seasonal crops, including maize, rice, and beans enjoyed good rainfall. National harvests should be relatively good, and we may expect a significant improvement in food security if the agro-climatic conditions remain unchanged.
- The prices of basic imported foodstuffs remained generally stable over the previous month. Similarly, a greater availability of local products, has been observed on the market has been observed, notably beans, whose price has decreased significantly (see Figure 4).
- The number of people in moderate to high food insecurity, fell from 2.4 million in April to about 2.1 million in May. This trend is especially due to i) increases the winter production, ii) the continued decrease in the prices of basic foodstuffs iii) the stability of remittances, iv) accelerating the implementation of programs to reduce vulnerability during the approach of the hurricane season, v) taking into account new parameters in the analysis of the vulnerability (see box). Despite this improvement, some areas containing pockets of acute food insecurity in the departments Northwest, the Artibonite, south of the peninsula (Figure 1) and in the slums of cities should continue to be monitored closely.
- Despite falling prices, households vulnerable to natural disasters will face difficulties in terms of access to food, since part of their income will be used for other purposes, such as the revival of economic activities.
Haiti Country Center

East Africa

Djibouti

06/30/2009

The Diraa/Sougoum (March‐May) season was poor, with rainfall 20‐50 percent of normal across most of the country. As a result, water, browse, and pasture for ... more
- The Diraa/Sougoum (March‐May) season was poor, with rainfall 20‐50 percent of normal across most of the country. As a result, water, browse, and pasture for pastoralists are dwindling with the advance of the current hot season, raising concern about the adequacy of these resources for livestock herds until the Karan/Karma (July‐ September) rains set in. Poor livestock body conditions are reported in the Northwest Pastoral Livelihood Zone and Southeast Pastoral Border Sub‐Zone.
- Market data suggest a continuing improvement in purchasing power, with the cost of the expenditure basket decreasing for both urban and pastoral communities. Humanitarian assistance activities implemented in response to drought, including general food distributions, continue in pastoral zones. The World Food Program and the Djibouti Red Crescent are implementing a food‐for‐work program in the suburbs of Djibouti city.
- Water shortages are prevailing in Djibouti City, though this is typical at this time of the year. The areas most seriously affected include Balbala (Hawaabley, Torra bora, Doumeira, and PK 12, particularly for those households who were already relying on water tankers.
Djibouti Country Center
Ethiopia | Kenya | Somalia | Sudan | Tanzania | Uganda | Regional Center

Central America

Guatemala

07/02/2009

The food security and nutritional situation is at a critical stage, due to the annual hunger period throughout the country, added to the chronic food insecur ... more

Central Asia

Afghanistan

03/12/2009

Nominal retail prices for wheat, rice, and cooking oil have been declining since November 2008, and the upcoming wheat harvests in Afghanistan and in Pakista ... more
- Nominal retail prices for wheat, rice, and cooking oil have been declining since November 2008, and the upcoming wheat harvests in Afghanistan and in Pakistan and Kazakhstan — major sources of imported wheat — are expected to be good. Consequently, household food access is improving.
- In the most-likely scenario, physical access to food will improve through June due to the reopening of roads by the spring. The main harvest begins in May, and the Indian government has pledged 250,000 MT of wheat. However, food security conditions in chronically food insecure (and physically insecure) areas such as Jawand, Bala Murghab, and Muqor districts of Badghis province, Taywara and Pasawand districts of Ghor Province, Badakhshan, Day Kundy, and Samangan provinces will not improve considerably until after the harvest, due to their remoteness and the inadequate food aid response in 2008.
- In the worst-case scenario, international wheat prices will increase due to a reduced 2009 global wheat harvest. Kazakhstan may elect to not sell cereals to Afghanistan. The government of Pakistan could also prevent the transshipment of 250,000 MT of Indian-donated wheat through Pakistan.
Afghanistan Country Center