AFGHANISTAN August 2020 - March 2021 COVID-19 Impacts, High Food Prices, Reduced Income Issued in November 2020 and Conflict Are Key Drivers of Acute Food Insecurity
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IPC ACUTE FOOD INSECURITY ANALYSIS AFGHANISTAN August 2020 - March 2021 COVID-19 impacts, high food prices, reduced income Issued in November 2020 and conflict are key drivers of acute food insecurity CURRENT AUGUST - OCTOBER 2020 PROJECTED NOVEMBER 2020 - MARCH 2021 Phase 5 0 Phase 5 0 People in Catastrophe People in Catastrophe 11.15M Phase 4 3,605,000 13.15M Phase 4 4,303,000 36% of the population People in Emergency 42% of the population People in Emergency Phase 3 7,544,000 Phase 3 8,852,000 People facing high levels of People in Crisis People facing high levels People in Crisis acute food insecurity of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) Phase 2 11,336,000 (IPC Phase 3 or above) Phase 2 10,560,000 People in Stressed People in Stressed IN NEED OF URGENT Phase 1 8,905,000 IN NEED OF URGENT Phase 1 7,675,000 ACTION People in food ACTION People in food security security Overview Current Acute Food Insecurity August - October 2020 Between August and October 2020, corresponding to the post-harvest season, it is estimated that a total of 11.15 million people (36% of the analysed population) were facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) and require urgent humanitarian action. This included around 7.54 million people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 3.6 million people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). Around 11.34 million people were also in Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and require livelihood support. Between November 2020 and March 2021, corresponding to the lean season, around 13.15 million people (42% of the total population) are likely to experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), out of which an estimated 8.85 million people will likely be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and nearly 4.3 million people will likely be in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). Furthermore, around 10.6 million people are expected to be in Stressed (IPC Phase 2). 1 - Minimal Projected Acute Food Insecurity Nov 2020 - Mar 2021 This analysis is subject to an ongoing external Quality Review due to a break- 1 2- M- Sinimaltressed down in technical consensus among IPC Technical Working Group members. Therefore, these findings are considered preliminary. The outcomes of the re- 2 3- S- Ctressedrisis view will be communicated once the process has been completed. 3 4- C- Emergencyrisis 4 5- Emergency- Famine Key Drivers 5 Areas- Famine with inadequate evidence AreasAreas with not inadequateanalysed evidence Map SymbolsAreas not analysed 1 - Minimal COVID-19 Conflict High Food Prices Map SymbolsUrban settlement 2 - classificationStressed The consequences of Ongoing conflict in most Unseasonably Urban settlement classificationIDPs/other settlements restrictions imposed provinces has led to high food prices of 3 - classificationCrisis due to COVID-19 displacement, caused loss of commodities already IDPs/other settlements 4 - Emergency have resulted in the livelihoods, or affected people’s in the post-harvest Area receivesclassification significant significant decrease livelihoods. As a result, farmers time have negatively Key for the Map humanitarian5 - Famine food assistance of daily wage don’t have access to their impacted the Area(accounted receives for in significant Phase classification) IPC Acute Food Insecurityhumanitarian PhaseAreas withClassification food inadequate assistance evidence opportunities and agricultural lands for cultivation purchasing power of > 25% of households meet 25-50% small traders’ income. and harvesting at the right people and further (mapped Phase represents highest(accounted severity for in Phase affecting classification) at Areasof caloric not analysed needs through assistance On the other hand, time, with a similar effect on exacerbated the least 20% of the population) > 25% of households meet 25-50% livestock and other sectors. constrained food of >caloric 25% ofneeds households through meetassistance > 50% decreased remittances 1 - Minimal Map Symbols Overall, access to contested access, especially of caloric needs through assistance remain almost at the > 25% of households meet > 50% same level seen during areas remained limited during for the households Urban settlement 2 - Stressed Evidenceclassificationof caloric Level needs through assistance the initial outbreak of the current period and is already living below the Acceptable COVID-19, with some expected to remain the same poverty line. 3 - Crisis Evidence* IDPs/other Level settlements ** classificationMedium improvements. during the projection period. AcceptableHigh 4 - Emergency **** Area** receivesMediumScarce significantevidence due to limited or Floods *** Highno humanitarian access 5 - Famine humanitarianScarce evidencefood assistance due to limited or Floods have resulted in the loss of shelters and productive assets, causing (accountedno forhumanitarian in Phase classification) access displacement and increasing food insecurity. Areas with inadequate evidence> 25% of households meet 25-50% of caloric needs through assistance Areas not analysed > 25% of households meet > 50% Map Symbols of caloric needs through assistance Urban settlement Evidence Level classification * Acceptable ** Medium IDPs/other settlements*** High classification Scarce evidence due to limited or no humanitarian access Area receives significant humanitarian food assistance (accounted for in Phase classification) > 25% of households meet 25-50% of caloric needs through assistance > 25% of households meet > 50% of caloric needs through assistance Evidence Level * Acceptable ** Medium *** High Scarce evidence due to limited or no humanitarian access AFGHANISTAN | IPC ACUTE FOOD INSECURITY ANALYSIS 2 SITUATION OVERVIEW AND KEY DRIVERS Current Situation Overview (August - October 2020) As of September 2020, 11.15 million people (36% of population) were estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). This included an estimated 3.6 million people classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and another 7.54 million people classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) nationwide. These people required urgent action to reduce food consumption gaps, to protect/save livelihoods and reduce acute malnutrition. The current IPC Phases 3 and 4 estimates correspond to a 3% increase (from 33% to 36%) compared to the same period last year (2019). When comparing to the same period last year, the number of people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) increased from 2.43 million to 3.7 million, while the number of people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) decreased slightly, from 7.7 million to 7.54 million. This means that a greater number of people moved into Emergency (IPC Phase 4) during the last year, primarily due to the impacts of COVID-19, including: loss of employment, reduction in income and food prices increases. This is also because of the prolonged conflict and absence of any major support mechanism for populations in IPC Phase 3 or 4. The IPC analysis has been conducted to capture the food insecurity situation in 34 rural and 11 urban areas of analysis. In the current period, corresponding to the post-harvest season, out of all 34 provinces, four rural areas of analysis (Badakhshan, Daikundi, Ghor and Uruzgan) and one urban analytical domain (Maimana city in Faryab province) were classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), while four provinces, namely Parwan, Kapisa, Panjsher and Kunduz urban, were classified in Stressed (IPC Phase 2). The remaining 36 areas analysed (27 rural and nine urban) were classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). The results of the IPC analysis demonstrate that more people than ever are now falling into an Emergency food insecurity situation (IPC Phase 4). The provinces of Faryab (both rural and urban), Ghor, Helmand urban, Jawzjan (both rural and urban), and Nangarhar urban have the highest percentage of populations facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half or more of their population in IPC Phase 3 or 4. In terms of population estimates, the areas of analysis of Kabul urban, Nangarhar, Hilmand, Faryab, Badakhshan and Herat have the highest number of people classified in IPC Phase 3 or 4 respectively, with more than half a million people in high acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). The multiple shocks directly experienced by households between March and August 2020 halted the improvements in the food security situation that began last year after recovery from the severe drought that hit the country in 2018. The Seasonal Food Security Assessment (SFSA 2020) shows the combined effects of multiple and recent shocks. COVID-19 affected all dimensions of food security at the national level, including: reduced employment opportunities, reduced income, huge increases in food prices, loss of employment, death or illness of family members due to COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 related diseases. Conflict, natural disaster linked to drought/dry spell and floods/heavy rains, crop pests and livestock disease outbreaks, as well as low household resilience, have contributed to an overall deterioration of the food security situation. Compared to 2019, there is an increase in the proportion of households with a poor food consumption score (+5%), as well as in the proportion of households consuming less than five different food groups (+15%); mainly bread, oil and sugar. In the meantime, the proportion of households with a moderate to severe level of hunger (Households Hunger Score) has increased (+11%), as well as the proportion of households allocating more than 75% of their monthly expenditure to food (+12%). The results of the 2020 SFSA show that around seven out of ten households reported experiencing some shocks. The provinces of Nuristan, Wardak, Uruzgan, Kandahar, and Laghman faced the highest level of shocks, with more than 90% of household affected. Loss of employment (36%), reduced income (18%), severe sickness or death of breadwinners due to COVID-19 (12%), huge increases in food prices (11%), severe sickness or natural death of breadwinners not due to COVID-19 (8%) are the major first shocks that households experienced. 81% of the households reported that their income has decreased compared to last year, of which around 54% reported reduced employment opportunities as the main reason for their income reduction, followed by conflict (17%).