Highlights In February WFP assisted 201,274 people through nutrition activities and the school meals programme. The country office is facing a complete lack of funding for food assistance for assets interventions. WFP Guinea-Bissau Country Brief WFP Assistance 6-Month CP 200846 has three objectives: Total Total Received Net Funding Country Requirements (in USD) Requirements (in Reduce undernutrition among young children, 6- Programme (in USD) USD)* 23 months, through stunting prevention and the CP 200846 26 m treatment of moderate acute malnutrition among (2016-2020) 39.8m - (65%) children 6-59 months; and provide nutritional *March - August 2017 support for undernourished people living with HIV and TB. Improve access to education and help to increase government capacities for developing The Country Programme (CP) 200846 started in and managing a sustainable home grown school meals programme. April 2016. This 5-year CP (2016-2020) is WFP’s contribution to the three outcomes of the United Strengthen national capacities, both at Nations Development Assistance framework government and community levels, for scaling up (UNDAF) and is aligned with some of the priorities of food security and nutrition interventions and the Government of Guinea-Bissau strategic and connect agricultural productions with sustainable operational plan for 2015-2020 (“Terra Ranka”). markets. Built on lessons learned from previous operations, the CP fosters Government and community ownership of an integrated multi-sector approach in social protection – such as a national school meals programme that includes a home grown programme, cash-based transfers for asset creation and for nutritional activities – and an integrated approach to stunting prevention in line with the national nutrition strategy. The CP aims to enhance Government’s capacities including in early warning and food security and nutrition assessment. The people assisted through the programme include In Numbers primary school children; undernourished children aged 6-59 months; undernourished people living with HIV (PLHIV) and tuberculosis (TB) on treatment 49% 51% and their families, and vulnerable smallholder 201,274 farmers. Cash-based transfers were piloted in the People Assisted last quarter of 2016 and will be expanded as the February 2017 country office gains more experience and receives additional cash contributions. Main Credit: WFP/Dan-Vieira Vaz Costa. Photo Caption: Children having their school meal in Patche February 2017 Pansau school in the Bissora sector, in Oio Region. Country Background & Strategy Operational Updates From 13 to 18 February, WFP along with staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and staff from two national NGOs working on rural development conducted a joint mission in the Tombali region to assess the impact of the September 2016 flooding which severely damaged rice crops. In February, 65 associations in the Bafatá region received non-food items from WFP (63 balances and 65 registry books) to support the purchase of food from local small-scale farmers for the school meals programme. Partnership Despite of considerable economic potential, Guinea-Bissau has long been constrained by political turmoil and social On 1 February, WFP signed with Palmerinha, a unrest that hampered economic development. The GDP of national NGO, a letter of understanding for the USD 1.057 billion and GNI per capita USD 590, Guinea- construction of 150 improved stoves for the Bissau is one of the poorest and most fragile low income preparation of school meals. These improved stoves countries today. Sixty nine (69) percent of Bissau-Guineans will reduce the consumption of wood, facilitate the live below the poverty line, on USD 2 per day with higher preparation of school meals and improve the poverty rates among people aged 15-25 years and women. community and school environment. Chronic food insecurity is compounded by shocks related to political instability, irregular rainfall and volatility of prices for imported rice and local cashew nut production for export. Half the population above 15 years old is illiterate, with a wide gap in illiteracy between men (45 percent) and women (71 percent). Net enrolment, attendance and completion rates at primary school are extremely low, with disparities among regions; 27 percent boys and 51 percent girls are out of school. At 3.3 percent, HIV prevalence is among the highest in West Africa, with women more affected than men. Poor diet, inadequate feeding practices for young children, and high childhood morbidity contribute to global acute malnutrition rates of 6 percent among children under 5, and chronic malnutrition rates of 27.6 percent countrywide. WFP will focus on capacity development of Government institutions and synergies with multi-sector partners to optimize interventions. Interventions are mutually supportive on school-centred approach. A regional gender strategy and a gender analysis study conducted in early Credit: WFP/Dan Vieira da Costa. 2016 will guide the implementation of the CP. Caption: School meal prepared on an improved stove, Junho school in Canchungo, Cacheu region. WFP has been present in Guinea-Bissau since 1974 WFP has been present in Guinea2015 Bissau Human since Development 1974. Index: Population: 1.8 million 178 out of 188 Chronic malnutrition: 27.6% of Income Level: Low Income children between 6-59 months Donors USA, European Commission, Japan Contact info: Elber Nosolini ([email protected]) Country Director: Kiyomi Kawaguchi WFP Guinea-Bissau Country Brief February 2017 Further information: www.wfp.org/Guinea-Bissau .