REPORT ON THE FACT FINDING MISSION TO GREATER KAPOETA AND BUDI, EASTERN EQUATORIA STATE 17th-22nd February, 2013 Reported dated: 26th February 2013 A joint report of Relief Rehabilitation Commission, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster and Nutrition Cluster Report on the Fact Finding Mission to Greater Kapoeta and Budi Counties 17-22 February, 2013 Executive Summary A fact finding mission was deployed on 17-22 February to investigate concerns about a deteriorating food security and nutrition situation in which some hunger-related deaths were reported. The mission covered greater Kapoeta (Kapoeta East, North and South) and Budi. The fact finding mission confirmed some deaths had occurred in the assessed areas but the link to hunger as a cause was not obvious and could not be verified in the absence of medical reports. No further deaths had occurred since the alarm was raised which suggests that the deaths were highly localized and not particularly linked to the reported food security situation. However, the mission was concerned that all the deaths involved women and children. Household food availability has declined and households had increased consumption of wild food especially in Kapoeta East while food prices have increased by 30-40% and income generation is linked to sale of firewood and building materials. Livestock conditions are good but the main herd has already moved to the dry season grazing areas. With these indicators, the lean season will start earlier than expected because of the combined effects of weather-related shocks on harvest in 2012. The general health status appears to be normal but there is a dearth of health and nutrition services and existing health facilities are constrained by qualified medical personnel, equipment and supplies. An increase in admission of cases of severe acute malnutrition is expected over the coming months likely to be linked to poor sanitation practices and limited access to health services. The security situation is generally not severe but it is unpredictable. It is characterized by cattle raiding during the dry season and continuous threat of armed ambushes between Camp 15, Chukudum and Farasika, necessitating armed escorts. Of all the four counties, the food security situation is worst in Kapoeta East followed by Kapoeta South and North. The northern parts of Budi are also experiencing similar circumstances although the situation is relatively stable. The mission recommends partners to accelerate their planned food assistance and nutritional interventions so that they can commence in March rather than the normal time for seasonal support in April to avert potential food security crisis. A one-day mission is also recommended to assess the situation in Jie and Mogos reported to be the worst food security situation in the Kapoeta East which is the most food insecure in terms of food security. Prepositioning of seeds and tools from core pipeline is needed for the continuity of the preparation of for the cultivation after the phasing out of a key agriculture partner in the greater Kapoeta region. Support for nutrition screening, prevention and treatment activities for children and pregnant mothers should be increased alongside outreach programmes. Medium to long term actions needed to enhance existing livelihoods, create assets that promote resilience and increase humanitarian access are discussed in the report in details. A joint report of Relief Rehabilitation Commission, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster and Nutrition Cluster Report on the Fact Finding Mission to Greater Kapoeta and Budi Counties 17-22 February, 2013 1. Background 1.1 An alarm was raised by county commissioners of Kapoeta East, North and South and Budi on a precarious food security situation following a combination of dry spell, pests attack and excessive rain in 2012. With the exception of Budi County, the rest of the areas concerned are structurally food insecure areas mainly due to low and erratic rainfall which constrains rain-fed agricultural production and depend significantly on livestock for their livelihoods. 1.2 It was claimed that malnutrition levels had risen among children and that around 10 food insecurity related deaths had been reported in greater Kapoeta in the past months. However specific statistics on the malnutrition situation and information on where and how deaths had occurred was not provided when the alarm was raised. 1.3 A five day fact-finding mission went to greater Kapoeta and Budi on 17th to 22nd February 2013 to identify the worst affected areas and verify the claims of a widespread hunger crisis affecting the region. Key objectives were to investigate the concerns about hunger-related deaths, assess the current coping strategies and the effects of shocks reported, assess the general security, humanitarian support and coordination in the concerned areas, and assess information channels from the field to Juba. 2. Mission process 2.1 The fact finding mission team comprised of representatives from the Relief and Food Security Department of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), Department of Early Warning of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MHADM), Food Security and Livelihood Cluster, Nutrition Cluster, United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Food Programme, UNICEF, Eastern Equatoria State Ministry of Agriculture, Eastern Equatoria State RRC, UNMISS/RRP, American Refugee Committee, South Sudan Red Cross, Catholic Diocese of Torit, and other humanitarian actors working within Eastern Equatoria State (EES). The full list of mission members is provided in Annex 1. 2.2 The fact finding mission team used rapid assessment methods of enquiry. These included interviews with government officials (State Governor and County Commissioners) and key informants, interviews with household members, group discussions with community members and field observations at markets and within villages in the affected areas. Annex 2 contains the list of key informants and mission schedule. 2.3 Findings from the assessment were discussed by the assessment team at the end of each day to identify key issues that are presented here as main findings and recommendations. Detailed findings are available on request. 3. Main Findings 3.1 The mission confirmed that some deaths had occurred recently in greater Kapoeta although the reported link to hunger was not obvious. Indeed 11 deaths were reported to have occurred but the cause of death could not be verified in the absence of medical reports. A summary of the reported deaths is given in Table 1. A joint report of Relief Rehabilitation Commission, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster and Nutrition Cluster P a g e | 1 Report on the Fact Finding Mission to Greater Kapoeta and Budi Counties 17-22 February, 2013 3.2 All the reported deaths involved women and children, which highlights the vulnerabilities of this population group in the assessed area. The deaths are also conflated with the lack of health services, sanitation and potable drinking water. No further deaths were reported subsequent to the alarm which is an indication that the deaths were highly localized and were not particularly linked to the reported deteriorated food security situation. Table 1: Reported hunger related deaths in the past couple of months in the greater Kapoeta and Budi Counties Description of circumstances of County Payam Victim death Kapoeta South Katiko 3 (2 children, 1 No detailed information provided on woman) the circumstance of death by respondents in the villages assessed. Kapoeta North Lomia, Wohobu, 7 (4 women and 2 breastfeeding mothers and a baby- Muraham three children) sitter of Wohobu payam lost lives in search of wild food. They were found by hunters when they lost their way back to Natatur village, Kamalieto Boma of Wohobu. A woman and her baby also found dead by a group of villagers coming from cattle camps in Lomeyen Kapoeta East Narus Market 1 woman The woman died suddenly in the market and cause of death was not established. Budi n/a n/a No death cases were reported 3.3 Communities in this area are primarily pastoralist and they are also involved in limited farming of sorghum and sesame. In the current season, primary sources of household food and income are livestock keeping; sale of firewood, grass (for roofing and fencing); and sale and consumption of wild foods (lalop and coconut shoots). 3.4 Household food availability has declined considerably and most households have increased their consumption of lalop (wild food) in the Kapoeta counties where sorghum crops were reported to have failed. Granaries were mostly empty and women were actively engaged in collecting and selling of firewood. Each bundle would fetch on average SSP 5-10 which can buy about 1.5-3.0 kg of grain, which would not last for more than one meal for a household. In many cases because of the distance to the markets, women spent almost a whole day to go to the market and sell one bundle of firewood. Sometimes, the women take with them some of their children who would also carry smaller bundles worth SSP 1-2. 3.5 Markets (Kapoeta, Narus and Camp 15) are detached and isolated from many communities. The current market price of grain (between SSP 90-130 per 50 Kg) is unaffordable given the limited income and low purchasing power of households. Most of the