72518 WORLD BANK
August 9 Sahel Drought Situation Report No. 9 Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal
Public Disclosure Authorized
DROUGHT SITUATION 19 million people are facing a food and nutrition crisis in West Africa’s Sahel region due to a combination of drought, poor accessibility to food, high grain prices, environmental degradation and displacement due to conflict. From that number, 1.5 million children under the age of five are at risk for acute malnutrition, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). National government and UN data indicate 8 million people are in immediate need of emergency food assistance. Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized
Per country: the drought is affecting the following number of people: Mauritania: 700,000; Niger: 6.4 million; Nigeria: 100,000; Chad: 3.6 million; Mali: 4.6 million; Burkina Faso: 2.1 million; Senegal: 739,000. Cameroon, The Gambia and Nigeria are also affected to a lesser degree.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS The situation in Mali 1 is widely seen as the main aggravator in the general Sahel food security crisis. Each rebel faction is now fighting for control of certain towns and more refugee flows are expected as a result.
Public Disclosure Authorized The UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned that the political crisis in Mali is having a “deep impact” on the food emergency. Since January, more than 260,000 refugees have fled into neighboring countries
1 The March 22 coup led by a military Junta in Bamako, Mali, left the north of the country open to Tuareg rebels of the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA), battling alongside Islamist militants (known as Ansar Dine and backed by Al Queda) who want to impose Islamic law in the country, took over much of the region. The national army was unable to respond. The MLNA have since declared the North “independent”. The Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) has also now become active in the region.
Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso. Within Mali, approximately 200,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting. To add to the crisis, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is reporting that in central and northern Niger, desert locust eggs have begun to hatch. Hatching is also feared in northern Mali but the conflict has prevented any confirmation. National organizations and development partners are monitoring the situation closely and have already taken, as in Senegal, preventive measures. The Africa DRM Team has stepped up its response effort to the Sahel drought crisis. Two recovery experts from GFDRR joined the team to prepare country level and regional impact assessments and advance data management and situation monitoring. The National Center for the Prevention of the Desert Locusts has warned that unless control measures are put in place in areas of conflict, people’s livelihoods and crops in the region could be greatly affected. In Mali, the Center has put in place a preventative band in the towns of Mopti and Keyes to secure key agricultural zones. Overall, the Center reports conditions are favorable for the locusts to reproduce rapidly following recent rains. Conflicting reports have indicated that large swarms of the locusts have been observed by pastoralists in Mali and Niger while others state no such swarms have been observed. The region remains on alert. In other countries such as Senegal, resources have already been mobilized to combat the locusts but government officials are reporting that the situation is not yet alarming. The World Bank is supporting technical meetings in Mauritania and the region to help validate mobilization resources to combat the locust threat.
REGIONAL FORECAST Seasonal rains are beginning across the Sahel which should have a positive impact on the previous months’ planting of crops and ease drought conditions (so long as the locust situation does not worsen and the political situation is brought under control). The African Centre for Meteorological Applications (ACMAD) is predicting above normal precipitation at the start of the summer rainy season which should ease drought conditions in most of the region. Most regions are not expected to surpass Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) 32 however, continued disruption of humanitarian aid (whether from lack of funding or restricted access in conflict zones) will significantly affect the situation. Areas unable to be reached, most notably in Mali, could reach IPC 4 (emergency) or higher.
International Appeal UN OCHA reports that US$1.65 billion is required for humanitarian assistance. US$850 million (52% of requirement) has been raised so far (including consolidated appeals).
Source OCHA FTS 3 August, 2012
2 IPC uses a scale of 1-5, 1 is normal, 2 is stress, 3 is crisis, 4 is emergency and 5 is famine
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USAID has increased their funding by US$ 5.5 million to a total of US$ 353 million. The EU increased its funding by €40 million for a total of €337 million.
COUNTRY SITUATION Burkina Faso: The cropping season is proceeding as normal with the exception of north and northeastern section of the country which remains stressed (IPC 2). Areas bordering Niger and Mali are in a crisis (IPC 3) food security situation due to the last remaining month of the lean season combined with a stress on resources due to 89,000 refugees from Mali creating competition for grain resources. The Government’s grain distribution program continues to supply emergency food assistance for 2-2.8 million people. This assistance should continue through September. Food prices remain high compared to last year however, the use of food reserves combined with humanitarian assistance has reportedly aided in the stabilization of markets. At the same time, the more people are seeking work in all livelihood areas which could result in a reduction of income (from wage labor) of 10 to 20 percent.
Chad The rainy season has begun early with normal levels of rain. Agro-pastoral areas are expected to register a decent harvest at the end of the year. Only the central region is considered to be in crisis situation (IPC 3). Even with a third of the country considered food insecure and stressed (IPC 2), the situation is improving slightly due to a combination of humanitarian assistance and favorable rains (producing more vegetation). However, the increased presence of new vegetation could also trigger an increase in the desert locusts. Food prices have stabilized across the country but remain high compared to last year by 20-50%.
Mali: Poor access to any type of agricultural input has increased the uncertainty of this season’s harvest, especially around Timbuktu and Gao. Wage labor has not been measured therefore hindering estimates on household conditions. Rebel held areas in the North remain in a crisis (IPC 3) food security situation. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in cooperation with the Mali Red Cross, was able to begin limited general food distributions in the areas of Timbuktu and Gao assisting 160,000 vulnerable Malians. An estimated 200,000 people are internally displaced in the North of Mali, while another 260,000 have been registered in Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger. The refugees are placing an enormous burden on local communities. Grain prices remain highly elevated compared to a five year average thus weakening the purchase power of poorer households. Similar to Chad, favorable rains have produced new vegetation which is positive for the cropping season but may facilitate the growth of new swarms of locusts. Additionally, due to the conflict, many fields have been abandoned so the upcoming harvest will most definitely be negatively affected.
Mauritania:
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The agricultural season which began in July, combined with the Government’s food assistance program, has helped reduce overall levels of food insecurity in the country with only the south in a stressed (IPC 2) situation. The government has also launched a World Bank supported national production plan focused on new irrigation schemes which would help increase cereal production and increase drought resilience. The beginning of the normal rainy season since June has restored some stability in the purchasing power of households. The beginning of agricultural activities is providing opportunities for income and pasture improvement. In general, food security conditions in Mauritania are expected to improve due to favorable rains and National/International food assistance. In the extreme southeast, the arrival of herds of cattle from refugees continues to put a strain on eastern border regions as the demand for fodder increases. A second refugee camp in Aghor is being opened (Mbera is the other camp). 9,000 Malian refugees are currently residing in the country. Niger: Several areas of the country remain in a crisis (IPC 3) food security situation. The planting season has begun yet grain prices remain high along with the demand. Desert locusts continue to menace the north of the country although control measures have been put in place in certain areas. Locust activity has been reported in Tamesna, Air, Ténéré and Tanout. The refugees fleeing Mali are placing a large strain on resources in western and southern Niger. Many villages (such as those in Tillabéry) along the border have exhausted their stocks of food due to high demand from the influx. Some villagers have been reported as having moved to larger cities to escape the crisis. Initial food security assessments indicate a decrease in the number of those in a stressed or crisis phase but exact figures will not be known until next month. Nigeria: The Northeast is well into its lean season and food insecurity is expected to peak in September (IPC 2) until harvests in October. Prolonged dryness is expected in this region. Civil insecurity in Borno and Yobe States is creating more internal displacement. If civil insecurity persists due to activities by Boko Haram, Yobe and Borno States could fall into a crisis (IPC 3) food security situation. Following the seasonal dry period, the rest of the country is experiencing heavy rains which are now causing heavy flooding in the Jos Plateau, Cross River, Ogun and Oyo States. In Jos, a dam to overflowed killing 38 people. Flooding throughout the country has left 3,000 displaced.
Senegal: Only small localized areas of the country are in a stressed (IPC 2) food security situation. The Government, in coordination with UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched an emergency response operation for Matam and Diourbel regions which have depleted local food stocks due to a below average 2011/2012 harvest aggravated by drought. Localized food prices are showing a 12% increase compared to last year.
World Bank Response The World Bank is taking early action to ensure regional institutional preparedness to address short-term food security needs and long-term drought resilience efforts in the Sahel. The Africa Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Team has issued a recovery and resilience strategy and action plan to guide the World Bank’s response.
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One of the most important elements of the strategy is the promotion of an integrated approach across sectors and themes. Since then the Africa DRM Team has stepped up its response effort to the Sahel drought crisis. Two recovery experts from GFDRR joined the team to prepare country level and regional impact assessments and advance data management and situation monitoring. Regional: The open source website Sahel Reponse (http://sahelresponse.org/)3 is functional with partners uploading data on a regular basis. Plans are underway to hand over the site to local regional institutions. A mission was conducted with the Fragile States Team, with support from the Nairobi Hub, which is leading analytical work on the structural issues in the Sahel including security development issues around Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Libya spill-over.
Burkina Faso: National capacities to address drought risk are being strengthened through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and recovery (GFDRR) financed national DRM Program.
Chad: The US$34.2 million Emergency Agriculture Production Support Project (IDA:US$25m; GEF: US$4.6m; and Least Developed Countries Fund: US$4.2m) is targeting drought-affected rural households through quick-disbursing activities and will contribute to the recovery of productive capacity in the agricultural sector and support investments in sustainable land and water management designed to increase resilience to climatic shocks.
Mauritania: No new updates
Mali: No new updates
Niger: The US$70 million Safety Net Project launched in May 2011 is a well-adapted tool to respond to the situation. The Niger portfolio also includes a Second Emergency Food Support Project of US$20 million. Continuous guidance and support to the 3N Initiative (Nigeriens Nourish Nigeriens) proved to be very useful in ensuring that the Government contingency plan is successfully implemented, ensuring that a 700, 000 metric ton food deficit does not degenerate into famine, thanks to the proactive and concerted measures taken by the Government and supported by the Developments Partners including the Bank.
Disaster Risk Management Team Contact: Doekle Wielinga, AFR DRM Coordinator, AFTWR, WB Washington DC, [email protected] Disaster Risk Management Website Sources: Local Governments, UN, OCHA, WFP, ECHO, FEWSNet, Relief Web press releases from various local and int’l media sources, WB Staff
3 Partnership with NASA SERVIR, DevelopmentSEED, WFP, USAID and ITHACA to openly share regional data and improve regional monitoring
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