NIGER SITUATION REPORT Reporting period: 2-15 February 2007 Date of report: 16 February 2007 1) Significant events • The National Food Security Mechanism was soon have more than 70,000 mt of cereals in stock. • A mid-term evaluation of the PRRO is ongoing. • A nomadic rebel group attacked the town of Iferouane on 8 February killing three Nigerien soldiers. 2) Security Niger is under security phase 0, with the exception of Agadez and Diffa regions which are under phase 1. A nomadic rebel group attacked the remote north-eastern town of Iferouane (Agadez region) on 8 February, kidnapping two Nigerien soldiers and killing three more. Numerous nomadic groups in Niger's desert north staged an uprising in the 1990s and most groups accepted peace deals in 1995 but insecurity remains rife, with frequent acts of banditry, carjacking and kidnapping by former rebels. 3) Food security and nutritional situation Food prices are beginning to rise as household stocks decrease with the onset of the lean season. The Government’s market monitoring system (SIMA) reports that in January 2007, the prices of millet, sorghum and niébé (cow peas) all increased. Results of the Government/WFP/FAO joint household food security vulnerability assessment (November 2006) are finalized and are awaiting Government approval for circulation. At the National Food Mechanism CRC meeting of 6 February 2007, it was announced that, with food arrivals and confirmed contributions, the NFSM physical stocks will soon total over 70,000 mt- close to the 80,000 mt target level. Thanks to good donor support, this stock level will allow the mechanism an adequate response level. 4) Implementation WFP has two current projects in Niger: Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) 10509.0 and the Country Programme 10285.0. Activities under the PRRO are currently focused on supplementary feeding activities for moderately malnourished children. Food for work activities will begin in March and support to cereal banks in April. WFP is also working with nutritional partners to begin support to malnourished pregnant and lactating women next month. The Country Programme includes three activities: rural development, support to basic education and support to the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Deliveries to schools for the second trimester of the 2006-2007 school year are complete. Training for school feeding canteen management staff and school directors will kick off on 20 February in Tillaberi. A two-day training will be held in each region. 1 A National Review of progress reached towards the Sahel Alliance will be undertaken and the terms of reference are being finalized. Support to people living with HIV/AIDS was piloted with partners Solthis and the French Red Cross in Niamey in 2006 and will now be expanded to other areas of the country. Partner organizations provide anti-retroviral drugs and medical treatment while WFP provides a family ration to the patients. 5) Monitoring and Evaluation A mid-term evaluation of the PRRO is ongoing. The mission conducted field visits to Tillaberi and Tahoua regions and met with Government counterparts, UN/NGO partners and donors. The final mission report is expected for 5 March 2007. A monitoring mission of rural development activities took place from 29 January to 8 February 2007 to four regions: Maradi, Diffa, Dosso and Zinder. Regarding food for work activities, the number of beneficiaries who presented at themselves at the work sites was significantly higher than planned, which is an indication of the food insecurity in the villages targeted. WFP will work with partners to strengthen this aspect of the activities. It was also found that food for work activities are preferred to cash for work activities in areas that are distant from market places. 6) Resourcing and Pipeline Resourcing Status of WFP Niger Projects Project Duration Budget (USD) Total Received Shortfall PRRO 10509.0 1 Apr 2006- 30 49.2 million 41.3 million USD 7.9 million USD Sept 2007 (83%) (16%) CP 10285.0 1 Jan 2004- 31 38.7 million 26.7 million USD 12 million USD Dec 2007 (69%) (31%) Due to the ongoing cotton campaign in Benin, the number of trucks available is limited to transport WFP commodities to Niger from the port of Cotonou. As result, 3,600 tons of sorghum and 170 tons of oil are being temporarily stored at the port in Cotonou. The below table gives WFP Niger’s stock position as of 14 February 2007: Grand Project Region CEREALS CSB OIL PULSES SALT SUGAR Total Agadez 103 48 0 152 Diffa 184 6 9 198 Maradi 559 678 150 158 3 72 1,620 PRRO 10509.0 Niamey 1,075 293 174 446 18 2,006 Tahoua 1,185 469 102 113 72 1,941 Zinder 503 696 45 177 5 25 1,451 PRRO Total 3,609 2,136 524 902 8 187 7,367 Agadez 743 27 70 0 841 Diffa 551 4 80 6 643 Maradi 148 16 29 20 213 CP 10285.0 Niamey 61 54 135 15 266 Tahoua 1,619 1 80 1 2 1,703 Zinder 1,395 30 234 40 1,700 CP Total 4,518 0 132 630 1 84 5,365 Grand Total 8,127 2,136 656 1,532 9 271 12,731 2 7) Missions and external relations WFP Niger’s Country Director attended a meeting in Dakar on the Ending Child Hunger and Undernutrition Initiative (ECHUI). UNICEF and WFP representatives as well as the Resident Coordinators from Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad were present. A mission from the Dutch National Postcode Lottery will come to Niger from 5-9 March 2007. They will be accompanied by Mr. John Powell, WFP’s Deputy Executive Director for Fundraising and Communications. The purpose of the mission is to visit school feeding activities supported by the Dutch Lottery’s contributions as well as other WFP activities. 3 RESOURCING UPDATE 14-Feb-07 Recipient Country: Niger Project No.: 10509 Single Country PRRO Strengthening the Means of Subsistence of Vulnerable Populations and Project Title: Targeted Assistance for Malnourished Children Project Duration From: 1-Apr-06 to: 30-Sep-07 Operational Requirements U.S. Dollars 49,193,649 Resource Level (in US$) Donor % of total AUSTRIA 362,757 0.74 CANADA 2,192,983 4.46 DENMARK 1,010,101 2.05 EGYPT 69,808 0.14 EUR. COMMISSION 4,648,241 9.45 FRANCE 1,275,511 2.59 GREECE 87,940 0.18 IRELAND 921,365 1.87 KOREA REP. OF 100,000 0.2 LUXEMBOURG 132,294 0.27 PRIVATE DONORS 28,000 0.06 SAUDI ARABIA 2,000,000 4.07 SWITZERLAND 757,575 1.54 UN 5,503,823 11.19 U.S.A. 17,339,934 35.25 Multilateral 1,238,853 2.52 Carryover from previous operations 3,615,557 7.35 Total Received 41,284,741 % Against Appeal 83.92 % Shortfall 7,908,907 % Shortfall 16.08 % RESOURCING UPDATE 14-Feb-07 Recipient Country: Niger Project No.: 10285 Country Programme Project Title: Country Programme - Niger (2004-2007) Project Duration From: 1-Jan-04 to: 31-Dec-07 Operational Requirements U.S. Dollars 38,720,906 Resource Level (in US$) Donor % of total ALGERIA 879,513 2.27 FRANCE 1,476,926 3.81 ITALY 1,244,082 3.21 LUXEMBOURG 2,285,845 5.9 PRIVATE DONORS 3,061,438 7.91 SWITZERLAND 115,500 0.3 Multilateral 17,598,160 45.45 Carryover from previous operations 73,402 0.19 Total Received 26,734,866 % Against Appeal 69.05 % Shortfall 11,986,040 % Shortfall 30.95 % 4.