A for Food Security sector Data update 26/10/2017 In this report: 4 Definition of the Eastern Ghouta and the current humanitarian situation. 8 The security and demographic situation of the Eastern Ghouta. 9 Description of the food security situation. 12 The situation of food markets and the prices. 14 Agriculture and livestock. 18 Challenges Facing Humanitarian Work in the Eastern Ghouta. 19 Recommendations. 1 The objective of the needs assessment : Conducting need assessment in the food security sector is critically essential in order to identify priorities, thus more appropriate response to the humanitarian situation could be provided. Accordingly, GAN has conducted need assessment of the food security sector in the twelve besieged communities of the Eastern Ghouta in the countryside of Damascus. 2 Methodology: Preparation of the assessment plan: The assessment plan and its objectives are designed to identify the basic needs of the food security sector in the besieged Eastern Ghouta, a survey of the most vulnerable groups, and mechanism to access. Review secondary data: A number of the organization's data has been reviewed in addition to statistics and reports from other organizations. Assessment Tools: A questionnaire for the food security sector on the Kobo program had been designed, then the field officers were trained on the program and a copy of the questionnaire was practiced as an example to see if there were any gaps or vague questions to the enumerators. Sample of Assessment: Key informants have been interviewed to get information from the following communities: Duma - Erbeen - Saqba - Hamourieh - Msraba - Jisreen - Kafr Batna - Zamalka - Hazzeh - Shefunieh - Beit Sawa - Harsta. Data collection: The data was collected by enumerators by interviewing key informants, most of whom were local administration staff who have sufficient information about the population status and needs of the target areas. Twelve surveys were collected from 12 communities in Eastern Ghouta. This was done within eight days (from 20/4 to 28/4/2017). Data cleaning and analysis: We verified the data and reviewed the odd with the enumerator and that process lasted for three days. Report preparation: In the final stage, the draft report was written then the report was designed on Adobe illustrator and Adobe InDesign. Data update: some of the data in this assessment updated in period between 24-25/Oct./2017 regarding to the severe changes in Eastern Ghouta. Photo by Ammar Albouchi - Al Jazeera Network 3 General definition of Eastern Ghouta: The cities and towns surrounding the Damascus to the east are known as the Eastern Ghouta, They are cities and towns of rural agricultural character known as fruit orchards, They are considered as the lungs of Damascus, Ghouta is characterized by a semi-dry climate. The Eastern Ghouta is about 110 km including 67 cities, towns, villages and farms. It includes the districts of Douma, Kafr Batna, Harasta, Nashabieh, Erbeen and Mleha.The city of Douma is considered the center of Eastern Ghouta. It stretches to meet the Western Ghouta to form a green wall for the city of Damascus. According to t the latest statistical survey conducted by the regime in 2011, the population of the Eastern Ghouta was 670,235. Humanitarian Situation in the Eastern Ghouta Currently: Since the beginning of the peaceful movement in Syria, the cities and towns of Eastern Ghouta have participated in the demonstrations that have been taking place in most areas of Syria. The Syrian regime began to impose siege on Eastern Ghouta, hence electricity has been permanently cut off in the area since 15/10/2012. Since then, most of INGO's and some UN agencies have stopped providing aid to the needy in the region (except through the IA program). The situation critically deteriorated from the beggining of 2017, especially after the closure of the only outlet of the eastern roadblock (Al- Wafideen Camp Crossing) three months ago. The Syrian regime had previously controlled the tunnels and crossings linking the eastern Ghouta with the Eastern districts of Damascus (Barzah and Qaboun). The humanitarian organizations, that work within Eastern Ghouta, have been actually facing several difficulties, the most notably is the high fees of transferring money into the besieged areas, where they reached about 20% months ago. However, the repeated and even deliberate breach of agreement in regard of de- escalation in Eastern Ghouta and the constant shelling by warplanes and artillery as well as attempts of attacks into the area by the forces of the Syrian Regime have made the humanitarian situation more difficult and more complicated. In addition, the internal conflicts between the armed factions controlling the are has hindered the movement of civilians and the humanitarian activists. since the beginning of October, and after a period of de-escalation agreemnt, the regiem forces started to tighten the blockade, and informally, impose a tax (about 3$ or each 1kg ) of any thing enter the Eastern Ghouta (if) something entered from Al-Wafideen crossing, which lead to very sharp increase in goods pricies inside the area. 4 Media Section in Ghiras Alnahda 5 6 7 The security situation in areas targeted by the assessment: The areas of Duma, AErbeen, Jisreen, Kafr Batna, Zamaleka, Shefunieh, Harasta are areas of confrontation and shelling since they are a military front and the Syrian regime tries to break into the Eastern Ghouta through them. While the areas of Saqba, Hamuriya, Hazzeh and Beit Sawa are frequently since they are within the Eastern Ghouta, but not a military front. As for Mesraba, it is the least exposed to shelling from areas targeted by the assessment. Population status: The indigenous population of these communities within the targeted areas of the assessment is 280,700. While the number of displaced persons to these areas is 99,007 people, mostly displaced from: Homs, Deir al-Zour, Idlib, Daraa and Aleppo and from the eastern regions of Ghouta, Qaboun and Barza, which were controlled by the regime forces in the past. It should be noted that the Eastern Ghouta is devoid of any camp or shelter supervised by the United Nations or an international humanitarian organization. Most of the refugees reside in vacant or dilapidated houses that are temporarily restored to become somewhat habitable and others are being hosted by the residents of the area. Population ratios by age group The total population of these %38 communities is now 379,707, %34 according to the assessment. Men and women aged 18-59 make %17 up 72% of the population, while the %8 %3 proportion of children up to 17 years Children under 5 Children Women from 18 Men from Elderly Displaced & from 6 to 17 to 59 18 to 59 years old 60 old is 25%, and the elderly over 60 host community Displaced & Displaced & host Displaced & host and over host community community community years old make up 3%. Families with less than 5 persons Percentage of family members constitute 49%, while families with between 5-8 members constitute 47%, %47 and large families (more than 8%) From 2 to 5 persons %49 constitute 4%. From 6 to 8 More then 8 %4 8 Due to the large number of families who lost their breadwinners as a result of fighting or shelling, The families sustained by a woman have become 5,199 families (7%) of the total number of families, while 443 families (%1) are sustained by children under the age of 18. 272 5,258 %7 %1 Parentless Children Persons with special needs Families sustained by 5,199 families sustained by 443 women children The reality of food security: Due to the severe blockade imposed on the region, the prices of foodstuffs, if available, are unaffordable. The reality of food security in Eastern Ghouta is actually frightening. No self – sufficiency that could cover the urgent need of the region. Hence, the percentage of families with children under the age of five who eat less than three meals a day was 70%, the highest is in Kafr Batna sub- Food Consumption -district. %70 It has been found that 8% of households consume only one meal a day, while 20% of the families keep what can be enough for ten days, %20 using it cautiously for fear of sudden blockade %8 and prolonged food shortages. Families that have children Families that Families that keep Through a deeper study of communities, it turns under 5 consume less than consume less than food enough for ten two meal a day 2 meals a day days out that the cities of Kafer Batna and Harasta are the neediest because of the large number of displaced people who settled there. People in these communities relied mainly on a labor for food (the wage could be a meal); and on humanitarian aids, but sometimes they buy things from shops, as they rely on the aids from NGO's or from thier relatives out side the area. That has been confirmed during the The most frequent means by the majority of the population to get food month preceding the evaluation. %100 %98 %90 Agriculture and food self-production %75 ranked second in terms of access to food. %42 %42 However, people obtain food either %25 by barter or by mutual gifts and by Buying Supported by Paid labor Self Gifts from Barter Borrowing borrowing. from NGO's or relatives production Neighbor markets outside the area Home) (Gardening 9 The most affected Categories: Children under five years of age are considered the most vulnerable group in the target communities due to lack of food, especially infant food. The elderly, who are over 60 years old, comes next due to the lack of health care especially people who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes and blood pressure.