FOOD SECURITY and NUTRITION CRISIS Appeal for a Response at Scale
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CHAD: FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION CRISIS Appeal for a response at scale January 2018 © OCHA/Naomi Frerotte 3 KEY POINTS The food security and nutrition 1 situation is deteriorating. The chronicity of the crisis requires a 2 new way of working combining humanitarian and development interventions. In 2018, US$ 282.5 million are 3 needed to save the lives of those most affected by the food and nutrition crisis in Chad. SITUATION 4 million OVERVIEW People affected by food insecurity In Chad, over four million people are affected by food insecurity and malnutrition each year. Unable to meet their food needs, in a context where access to basic social services is extremely limited, 2nd position their health and in particular their nutritional status can deteriorate in the Global Hunger rapidly. Index The agricultural lean season, from May to September, during which new agricultural products are not yet available on the markets while food stocks from the previous crop year are exhausted, and 200,000 the rainy season that destroys many crops from July to October are Cases of severe both critical times for the most vulnerable Chadian populations. acute malnutrition During and after these periods, many vulnerable households are expected in 2018 no longer able to eat sufficiently and can adopt survival strategies that are harmful to their health and nutritional status. In 2018, close to 900,000 people will be severely food insecure in Chad during the lean season, requiring emergency food assistance and livelihood support programmes. The majority of these people live in the Sahel belt. In addition, the food situation of 2.6 million people will remain precarious. Under pressure, these families can fall into food insecurity at any time. In addition to these affected Chadian populations, more than 410,000 refugees and more than 66,000 Chadian returnees do not have access to sufficient livelihoods to cover their food and nutritional needs. 3 The food situation is alarming: Chad ranks second The food crisis has a dramatic impact in the 2017 Global Hunger Index, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of its population in the face of on the nutritional status, particularly the food crisis. This chronic crisis is accentuated by of children as well as pregnant and a deep economic and social crisis and intensifying agro-climatic hazards due to climate change, which lactating women. affect the most vulnerable populations in the Sahel Malnutrition is one of the leading causes of child belt but also in new areas previously spared like mortality, with Chad having the sixth highest child Tandjilé. mortality rate in the world. One in seven children die The situation of pastoralists is particularly precarious before their fifth birthday. In addition,malnutrition has in part of the Sahel. Faced with a shortage of irreversible consequences on the child’s cognitive pastureland and water points and the closure of and intellectual development as well as on the one of the border with Nigeria, preventing the export of future generations through intergenerational genetic livestock, their incomes have dramatically dropped, transmission. threatening their livelihoods. In 2017, the nutritional situation has significantly The situation of displaced and host populations in deteriorated: the prevalence of global acute the Lac region is worrying. Following population malnutrition (GAM) at national level is estimated movements caused by the crisis in Nigeria and due at 13.9 per cent, against 11.9 per cent in 2016. to climate change directly affecting the Lake Chad Twelve out of 23 regions in the country have been area, nearly 172,000 people will be “under pressure” declared in a nutritional emergency. As for severe during the 2018 lean season, which means that they acute malnutrition (SAM), the prevalence exceeds can fall into severe food insecurity at any time. More the 2 per cent emergency threshold in 15 regions. than 187,000 people will need emergency assistance. Nearly 200,000 children suffer from severe acute The Lac region is the only one in Chad where two malnutrition. Chronic malnutrition has also increased, departments were classified as in the “crisis” phase from 26 per cent in 2016 to 32.4 per cent in 2017, during the last quarter of 2017. exceeding the critical threshold of 40 per cent in five regions. © OCHA/Naomi Frerotte The effects of climate change, low investments in agriculture, livestock and health, challenges of access to land and to safe drinking water, to healthcare and education, lack of training on new agricultural techniques and lack of sensitizations on nutrition that perpetuates inadequate food practices are all structural factors and root causes contributing to the persistance of food insecurity in Chad and endemic malnutrition in the country. 4 Child malnutrition in Chad In Sahelian countries like Chad, where a majority of people live in precarious conditions with low food resources, malnutrition is due to a poorly diversified diet, which lacks energy and proteins, and especially vitamins and minerals. Acute malnutrition, which endangers the life of the child, is caused by an inadequate diet that does not cover the nutritional needs of the child, especially during lean seasons. However, it is also due to the child’s general health status (diarrhea, malaria or respiratory infections may be the cause or consequence of malnutrition), and aggravated by lack of access to health care and to drinking water. Long linked exclusively to food resources, we now know that child malnutrition is a more complex phenomenon whose underlying causes may be food availability but also access to basic services. Acute malnutrition, or emaciation, is characterized by rapid weight loss over a short period of time. In children, it can be measured using the weight-to-height nutritional index or the average arm circumference. There are different levels of severity of acute malnutrition: moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM). By adding the prevalence rates of MAM and SAM, we obtain that of global acute malnutrition (GAM). Chronic malnutrition develops slowly, and is linked to structural poverty. If a child suffers from chronic malnutrition for an extended period of time, he or she will be stunted and more likely to be exposed to illnesses. Chronic malnutrition is detected by assessing the size / age ratio. It seriously affects the development of children and productivity in adulthood. Prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) 0.6 Tibesti 6.8 Ennedi Ouest 3 5.6 Borkou Ennedi Est 4.1 Kanem 4.8 Wadi Fira 4.7 Barh-El-Gazel 4.1 Batha 3.4 2.5 Lac Ouaddaï 3.6 Hadjer-Lamis 4.9 4.5 Sila N’Djamena 1.7 2.7 Chari-Baguirmi Guéra 6.3 Salamat 0.9 Mayo-Kebbi Est 4.2 Tandjilé 1.4 0.6 Moyen-Chari Mayo-Kebbi Ouest 1.1 1 Logone 1.1 Mandoul OccidentalLogone Oriental Critical >2% Serious 1%-2% Precarious <1% 5 Bokoro N'Djamena-Fara Haraze-Al-Biar B A T H A Guéra H A D J E R - L A M I S Fitri FOCUS ON TANDJILÉ Bang-Bang Linia N'Djaména Maï-ache Dababa Koundoul Abtouyour Bitkine N I G É R I A Chari Dourbali Guéra Mandalia Gama Baguirmi 2016-17Lougoun 6,900 Insufficient rainfall households inM oneedkofi La-Loumia Massenya B during the cropa year in 2018 r h E r g u i g G U É R A C H A R I - B A G U I R M I Melfi Barh-Signaka Mayo-Lemié Guelendeng Katoa National capital Bougomoro Region capital Rigaza Nanguigoto Prefecture capital Moulkou I l l Ba-Illi Sub-prefecture capital B a i Bousso Mogo New areas where food security MAYO-KEBBI EST issues have been identified B Mayo-Boneye a Loug-Chari I l Severe acute malnutrition above Bongor Gam l 2% (emergency threshold) i M O Y E N - C H A R I Djarouaye Korbol P Mboursou Binder Youé Fianga a e m Guené d Bahr-Köh Mayo-Binder o k Kéra k a j T Tikem b Koyom j Kouno Mbraou b i a Ribao Déressia o Ndam Kim u Mont Illi k Léré Tréné D Tandjilé Est é é Gounou-Gaya Lac Guégou Torrock h t Lac Léré é a m Iro T l a Guelo Baktchoro S a Lagon Kabbia a T A N D J I L É h n d r Djodo-Gassa Bérem j Laï a Bohobé i B Pala Tandjile l Goundi Kolon é Béré Pont-Carol Ouest Tchoua Guidari Lamé Dogou Dono-Manga Mandoul Kélo Tandjilé Ngangara Delbian Oriental Doka Mayo-Dallah Bologo Sarh Centre Saar-Gogne Balimba Dafra Bao Gagal Bourou Mouroumgoulaye Krim-Krim Bébalem Madana Bémangra Bénoye Kara M AY O - K E B B I Bessada Bédaya Ngourkosso Koumra Guéni K O U E S T Laoukassi Mbalkabra Békiri La Pendé o Doguindi Mballa-Banyo Béboni Péni a Beïssa n Béladjia Békamba G Déli Bebedjia Doba Koumogo Lac Wey Bédjondo Béïnamar Dodjé Moundou Miandoum Mandoul Béboro Bah Mbaïkoro Tapol Mbikou Béti Occidental C A M E R O O N Komé Bébopen Bouna Ngondong a Kouh Donia y Djéké-Djéké N La Nya l Dodinda Est u Bédjo o Barh-Sara é d Béboto j Grande L O G O N E O R I E N T A L n Moïssala d a Bodo n Sido M e Baké Dembo Dobiti B Békourou Larmanaye Kouh Ouest M A N D O U L Monts g b a n o Goré de Lam M Yamodo Bessao Békan Baïbokoum La Nya Pendé In addition to the Sahel belt, southern Chad, formerly This situation of food unavailability has strongly é Mbitoye d spared by the food security crisis, is experiencing a affected then nutritional status of children.