Flash Appeal Update
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Flash Appeal Update Kyrgyzstan: Energy / Water / Food Insecurity Office of the Resident Coordinator, United Nations in Kyrgyzstan 15 June 2009 This report covers the period 30 November 2008 to 30 May 2009. It provides an overview of energy, water and food security in the country in the Appeal period and the activities implemented under the Flash Appeal. I. KEY POINTS • The first ever Flash Appeal for Kyrgyzstan came to an end on 30 May • A total of $8,946,164 or 61% of the revised total funds appealed for were received • While Appeal projects alleviated the hardship of several hundred thousand of the most vulnerable people in Kyrgyzstan over the winter and spring, the roots of problems of energy and food insecurity still remain unresolved. II. Review of the Flash Appeal period in the country was not directly related to the energy crisis. The first ever Flash Appeal for Kyrgyzstan was launched on 30 November 2008, following a Scheduled power cuts continued into the spring. request by the Government. It had become clear More than 800 schools around the country were that a series of shocks were seriously affecting closed for 1-2 extra months to conserve electricity. several sectors and livelihoods, particularly those District and local level healthcare facilities also of vulnerable groups. A worsening energy suffered daily power cuts, as did many residential situation, caused by significantly depleted institutions in rural areas for vulnerable groups. hydroelectric resources, would necessitate The scheduled power cuts were ended in mid- stringent power cuts in the winter, the period when April. As of June, the Government forecasts that electricity is most needed for home heating. The these will need to be reimposed next winter, Flash Appeal was also a response to soaring food though to a lesser extent than in the winter of and fuel prices, adverse weather and declining 2008/9. As of early June, the major Toktogul remittances, which had weakened the purchasing hydroelectric reservoir is still at a lower level than power of the most vulnerable and contributed to a the same point last year, though the gap has precarious food security situation for some. recently been reduced. A dilapidated system, natural disasters, power surges and difficulties in The Flash Appeal sought to respond proactively to neighbouring countries all continue to cause actual and imminent humanitarian needs of the unpredictability in supply of electricity, particularly population, focusing on the most vulnerable in remote areas segments of society and the institutions thought to be most at risk from power cuts. While wheat flour prices in Kyrgyzstan have recently start to decline from their 2008 highs, In February 2009, a Revised Flash Appeal was many vulnerable families are reporting that they issued. By this time, it had become clear that the are have reduced purchase of more expensive mild winter and the Government’s programme to foodstuffs, and are consuming cheaper reduce electricity consumption had averted a full commodities. The wider availability and cheaper breakdown in power supply, though regular prices of fresh food over the spring and summer blackouts still had to be made. Meanwhile, there should enable people to improve their food was little change in food needs, as food insecurity consumption during this period. Some families are also reporting that they are Food and Agricultural Organisation: planting less than usual because income from FAO’s intervention was developed to provide family members working in cities or abroad is immediate support to the most vulnerable farming either reduced or cut altogether. A reduction in households in order to protect their livelihoods and income from remittances is being widely reported restore agricultural production. by vulnerable families. Many households, particularly those in the south of the country, also Forage crop seed and livestock forage was expect smaller than usual fruit harvests, following delivered to vulnerable households in the a colder spring. Fruit is both consumed at home, provinces of Osh, Jalalabat, Batken, Talas, Issyk and sold for extra income, so reduced harvests will Kul and Naryn. More than 18 500 households impact on dietary diversity and reduce available received lucerne, alfalfa, maize and vegetable cash. However predictions in the south for the seeds to cultivate 3000 hectares, as well as 450 imminent harvest of wheat are for a good crop. tons of barley grain for livestock feed. III. Fundraising for the Flash Appeal FAO worked with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Processing Industries, the local The revised Flash Appeal sought a total of NGO Ayil Demilgesi and local government for $14,751,781. The final funds raised were community mobilization, preparation of beneficiary $8,946,164 or 61% of the revised total. These lists and distribution of inputs. came from a variety of multilateral, bilateral and private sources. Of this, WFP received FAO will distribute veterinary medicines for 28 000 $7,085,807, FAO $1,160,000, UNICEF $232,722, livestock, 339 tons of urea, 339 tons of UNHCR $110,797, Counterpart International superphosphate and 150 tons of ammonium $74,540, the Office of the Resident Coordinator nitrate to vulnerable households. Training of $219,298, OCHA $63,000 and. For further details beneficiaries will be carried out in 62 Aiyl Okrugs of the contributions, please see Annex 1 below. between June and September IV. Implementation of Flash Appeal Projects UNICEF: UNICEF was particularly concerned about the fate of street children over the winter period. In early World Food Programme: February, UNICEF’s implementing partner WFP’s Kyrgyzstan Winter Emergency Food Aid EveryChild purchased winter supplies (hygiene Response project targeted vulnerable families in packages, first aid equipment, coal and warm areas with high concentrations of households clothes. In February these were delivered to 6 living below the Guaranteed Minimal Consumption shelters in Bishkek and 1 in Karakol to benefit 368 Level. Families received a one-off distribution of children. Hygiene items, first aid kits, warm 75 kg of wheat flour and 7.5 kg of vegetable oil to clothes, and 55 tons of coal were bought for the help them make up the over-winter food deficit. In residents of these shelters. addition to meeting calorie needs, the food helps to ensure that families do not have to sell their assets, and that they can direct scarce financial In addition, a new shelter was opened in Osh city resources to preparing for the 2009 agricultural on 26 February to house 40 homeless children, season. after an agreement with the local government. EveryChild’s Osh office purchased the winter WFP worked with three partners – the Republican supplies for children to be housed in the shelter. Centre for Health Promotion in Talas Province, The shelter was provided with coal, small stoves, ACTED in Jalalabad, Osh, and Batken Provinces, beds and bedclothes, hygienic items and warm and MSDSP in Alay and Chong Alay districts of clothes for children. Because the winter clothes Osh Province. It was agreed that a separate were bought at wholesale prices, a sum of $6000 Mercy Corps and Save the Children project funded was left over after the purchase. This was by the United States Department of Foreign allocated to purchase further supplies for the Osh Disaster Assistance would provide food shelter. commodities in Issyk Kul and Naryn Provinces, as well as Uzgen district of Osh Province. Remaining CERF funds were used by UNICEF to procure electric generators for the shelters. On 11 A total of just over 66,000 families received food in March 2009 a 32kW generator was installed in a the areas covered by WFP, with a total of 4,973 centre in Bishkek. On 12 March, 2009 a 24kW MT of wheat flour and 486 MT of vegetable oil generator was delivered to a shelter in Karakol. distributed. Fuel for the generators was also delivered to the shelters. 2 UNICEF also purchased two further generators to Coordination funding: support the two MLSD institutions for severely Funding for the Office of the Resident Coordinator disabled children in which conditions were was used to establish the Early Recovery Team, particularly difficult when electric power was not which is guiding the development of a post-Flash available. These generators were installed in late Appeal strategy and supporting the March. implementation of Flash Appeal projects. OCHA’s regional office in Almaty also received funding to UNHCR: support the Flash Appeal process. With their lack of kinship support bases and social benefits in the country, the refugees and asylum seekers in Kyrgyzstan are a particularly vulnerable V. Non-Flash Appeal projects group in hard times. With this in mind, UNCHR A number of donor organisations have made designed an intervention to support the group important interventions over the winter and spring through the Flash Appeal period. In March, period outside of the Flash Appeal process to UNHCR distributed 15kg of rice, 15 kg of sugar alleviate energy and food insecurity. Projects and 3l of vegetable oil each to 950 refugees and particularly pertinent to the goals of the Appeal asylum seekers in Bishkek, Osh and Tokmok. have included: Local NGOs Counterpart Sheriktesh (CSH) in Bishkek and Centre for International Protection • The joint financiers of the SWAp mechanism, (CIP) in Osh distributed food aid to refugees and which donated 60 electric generators to asylum seekers on lists provided by the State maternity houses around the country Committee of Employment and verified by • USAID, which donated a further 59 generators UNHCR. to support emergency care and surgery in 58 key hospitals Because of a fall in food prices, UNCHR had an • $10 million from the World Bank, to ensure unspent balance of $50,260 from its funding. maximum possible electric productivity at Therefore, an extension was requested for April combined thermal and heating power plants in and May to assist new arrivals and the most needy Bishkek and Osh asylum-seekers and refugees in the country.