Niger Monthly Food Security Update, February 2006
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ALERT LEVEL: NIGER NO ALERT Monthly Food Security Update WATCH FEBRUARY 2006 WARNING EMERGENCY CONTENTS Summary and implications Summary, seasonal calendar and hazards.......1 Food security conditions ...................................2 In the weeks leading up to the lean period that is expected to begin in a few months, the food security situation in Niger is generally marked by adequate grain availability Pastoral food security........................................2 and the pursuit of local income-generating economic activities in most of the country’s Admission rates of malnourished children to southern farming regions and border areas with Nigeria. Though occasionally limited feeding centers still falling.................................3 by the gradual drying up of seasonal lakes and ponds, forage access for the animal Probable effects of the bird flu outbreak ...........3 population of most livestock-raising areas is still more than adequate thanks to the Market trends ....................................................4 reported forage surplus coming out of the last growing season. National emergency plan ..................................5 These generally satisfactory food security and grazing conditions are in sharp contrast with the emerging moderate and extreme food insecurity problems in 35 areas scattered throughout the country’s 8 regions, underpinned by structurally high rates of malnutrition. According to the findings by a recent joint WFP/FAO/SAP/FEWS NET mission, the food-insecure population is estimated at 1,865,550 individuals residing mostly in agropastoral areas, including 1,001,797 extremely food-insecure individuals. In the wake of the recent finalization of the National Emergency Plan focusing on the implementation of different relief measures, domestic and international food security stakeholders are bolstering their operations aimed at combating food insecurity and malnutrition by strengthening existing program coordination. Seasonal calendar Current hazards summary There are persistent food insecurity problems in areas hard hit by last year’s food crisis and those plagued by repeated grain and forage deficits in various parts of the country such as northern Ouallam (Tillabery) and portions of Dogon Doutchi (Dosso) and Garhanga (Keita). Conditions in these areas could deteriorate even further with a steady rise in grain prices, localized shortfalls in the availability of grain and milk and the financial problems of households seriously affected by the recent food crisis. Major delays in implementing the National Emergency Plan and in local operations by NGOs in these areas could further aggravate this situation, leading to a deterioration of food security indicators. Despite short-term drops in admissions of malnourished children to therapeutic feeding centers around the country, global acute malnutrition and severe acute malnutrition rates of over 15% and 2%, respectively, and the seasonal increase in admissions anticipated in the lean period demonstrate the need for emergency relief and sustainable development programs. The component of the National Emergency Plan devoted to malnutrition represents a consensus-based framework for the implementation of short-term mitigating measures. NIGER: MONTHLY FOOD SECURITY UPDATE FEBRUARY 2006 There are signs of milk shortages in livestock-raising areas affected by the food crisis, which could have a negative impact on the food security and nutritional status of pastoral households heavily dependent on milk as part of their diet. Following tests of random samples of birds, the government officially announced the presence of bird flu in Niger, with confirmed cases of the disease reported in Magaria department (Zinder) bordering on Nigeria. There is also strong suspicion of the presence of bird flu in Gouré (Zinder), N’Guigmi (Diffa) and Birnin Konni (Tahoua) departments. A bird flu outbreak in Niger could impair household and child health and nutrition by significantly reducing protein intake, undermining sources of income related to poultry sales and causing members of poor households to lose sources of small-scale employment associated with the poultry industry. Food security conditions Though this year’s lean period is still a few months away, the food insecurity map is beginning to take shape, in line with Figure 1: Situation in food-insecure areas trends in different indicators. While scattered throughout all regions of the country, this year, as in the past, most food-insecure areas are concentrated in the country’s agropastoral belt, in which there are a number of negative factors at play such as grain prices that are generally higher than in the south, pockets of grain deficits and a higher incidence of economic repercussions from the recent food crisis. On the whole, with the relative abundance of natural forage in livestock-raising areas and reasonably good prices on livestock markets, livelihood conditions for pastoral households are still satisfactory, except in localized forage- deficit areas and in areas where losses of livestock and shortages of milk are undermining household sources of food and income. In the south, the food security situation and nutritional status Source: SIMA (Agricultural Market Information System), SAP (National Early of the population of the country’s farm belt is still Warning System, UNICEF; Graphic by FEWS NET problematic. There are a number of both positive and negative factors at play in this part of the country. The main factors include surplus grain and cowpea production and a long border with Nigeria, engendering regular cross-border trade and economic and business activities that provide sources of income and small- scale employment for poor households. However, this area is beleaguered by stubbornly high prices despite good availability, unshakably high malnutrition rates and the economic repercussions of a bird flu panic justified by the presence of this disease in virtually all Nigerian states bordering on Niger. Pastoral food security: localized shortages of milk The quantity of milk available for household consumption in certain parts of livestock-raising areas such as Abalak (Tahoua) is well below normal. The areas in question are all areas whose animal population was decimated by the food crisis raging over the period from April through September of last year. This finding, which is corroborated by information furnished by the NGO Veterinarians Without Borders, was made by the OFDA Regional Advisor during a recent tour of Abalak and Keita, accompanied by FEWS NET’s own country representative. According to these sources, the milk shortage is a result of the inability of organically weak female animals to reproduce during their usual breeding period. The rare births in these areas mean less milk production by female animals. The limited availability of milk for household consumption could reduce protein intake, particularly by children in affected households, and curtail cheese production, which is generally used by herders as a substitute for liquid milk during the lean period. This, in turn, could trigger a deterioration of food security and nutritional state of this population group during the period from March through September of this year. 2 NIGER: MONTHLY FOOD SECURITY UPDATE FEBRUARY 2006 Admission rates to therapeutic feeding centers still falling, with food security stakeholders mobilizing for the months ahead The number of admissions of malnourished children reported by practically all nutritional rehabilitation centers around the country has been falling since October of Figure 2: Trends in the number of last year due a combination of cyclical factors such as an improvement in food admissions of children suffering from availability, greater household economic wellbeing and the release of mothers from severe malnutrition in Keita and Abalak farm chores, giving them more free time. According to the NGO Action Against Hunger, the 11% drop in the average number of admissions in the Abalak and Keita (Tahoua) service areas between the first week of January and the second week of February of this year is holding steady (Figure 2). Anticipating a normal seasonal upsurge in severe and moderate malnutrition during the upcoming lean period, domestic and international food security stakeholders are considering implementing programs that focus on providing treatment for children and long-term assistance to health authorities. Source: Action Against Hunger; Graphic by FEWS Probable effects of the confirmed bird flu presence in Niger NET Confirmed bird flu outbreaks in Magaria (Zinder) and a strong Figure 3: Area with confirmed cases of bird flu: Magaria suspicion of the presence of the disease in Gouré, N’Guigmi and department Birnin Konni departments have mobilized the government of Niger and its food security partners, with the focus on the implementation of health control measures, bird surveillance and awareness-building. Recent developments have prompted the establishment of infected zones and security zones as part of the implementation of health control measures. All poultry in the infected zone in Magaria are being systematically slaughtered and their owners are being compensated by the authorities (Figure 3). Poultry markets in areas to be permanently designated as security zones (Birnin Konni and N’Guigmi) are under surveillance, the transportation and movement of poultry is banned and all poultry imports from Nigeria are being destroyed. The bird flu outbreak in Niger could weaken the national