Mozambique: Drought Office of the Resident Coordinator, Situation Report No. 5 (As of 26 August 2016) This report is prepared by the Humanitarian Country Team/Office of the Resident Coordinator in Mozambique. It covers the period from June to July 2016. Highlights Up to 1,477,787 people will be reached in the coming months with food assistance; The funding received/confirmed so far will only cover 38.2% of the total needs estimated in the SRP; The most funded sector is the food security with US$ 67.1 million; The maize grain prices remain well above the 5-year average by 177 percent in average and above last year prices by 136 percent in average; There are 2,152 IDPs due to drought and political- military tension in Manica province, central Mozambique; Poor households in drought affected areas continue facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) acute food insecurity; Acute food insecurity outcomes in drought affected provinces, June 2016 – FEWS NET, June 2016 1,477,787 2,152 IDPs US$ 126.3 71% of the needs in 113,255 people will be reached with due to drought and agriculture sector are funded children will be reached food in the coming months political-military million funding through school feeding in the tension in Manica gap for drought response coming months province Situation Overview The National Institute for Meteorology (INAM) has been updating the disaster coordination team in the country about the El Niño status which weakened significantly in the period of June to July 2016. During this period, the neutral signal (rainfall according to the climatology) has been strengthened and there is a likelihood (50 - 60% for the period of September 2016 to March 2017) of La Niña in the coming months. La Niña is historically linked to normal to above- normal rainfall in southern and central Mozambique. Although the current El Niño status is weak its impacts on food security, nutrition and water are still affecting thousands of people in the south and central region of the country. The Fews Net update1 (July 2016) reports that in the El Niño drought-affected areas in the South and parts of the Central region, poor households continue facing 1 http://www.fews.net/southern-africa/mozambique United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator Mozambique Emergency Situation Report No. 5 | 2 Crisis (IPC Phase 3) acute food insecurity, with a smaller proportion facing Stressed (IPC Phase 2), due to the increasing difficulty meeting their basic food needs because of inadequate supplies and high staple food prices. According to the Mozambique price bulletin of August 2016 by Fews Net, in average, from June to July, maize grain prices have increased by 11 percent against the 14 percent of the previous month. Overall, maize grain prices remain well above the 5-year average by 177 percent in average and above last year prices by 136 percent in average. In terms of food stocks, there is an indication that in much of the South region, the poorest households have completely exhausted their food reserves while most did not even harvest at all. The majority of households in drought-affected areas continue to rely on market purchases2. As the main agricultural season ended in April/May 2016, there was a need to know about the food security and nutrition situation in the country. To this end, SETSAN conducted a food security and nutrition assessment during July 2016 in the all 11 provinces. The report of this assessment is expected to be available in end of August 2016 with updated information regarding the number of people in food insecurity and in need of humanitarian assistance, nutritional status of children and women in drought affected areas, impact of humanitarian assistance provided so far among other elements. This assessment was supported by WFP, UNICEF, FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, Ireland and Fews Net. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MASA) preliminary assessment conducted in May 2016 the production estimation of main staple crops is 2.39 million MT for cereals (which 1.79 million MT is maize grain), 656,000 MT of pulses and 9 million MT of cassava. Regarding the cash crops, it was recorded good production of cashew (about 104,000 MT) and reduction in banana production of 6.7% when compared to last growing season. The estimated cereals production represents 84 percent of the initially planned volume. However, according to food security outlook June 2016-January 2017 by Fews Net, based on estimates from the satellite-derived Water Requirements Satisfaction Index (WRSI) extended to the end of the season, maize grain production from the current season is expected to be close to average in the northern region, 10 to 20 percent below the average in the central region, and nearly 35 percent below the average in the southern region of the country. It has been reported movement of people/existing internal displaced people (IDPs) due to drought and ongoing political-military tension especially in Manica province. At the moment, there are three accommodation centers opened in three districts namely in Barue, Gondola and Mossurize all in Manica province hosting a total of 2,152 people (412 families) as shown in the table below. INGC, COSACA and UNICEF have been assisting the IDPs with food and nonfood items (shelter kits, family kits, hygiene kits, school tents, jarry cans). Table 1. IDPs in Manica province District Number of families Number of people Barue 110 646 Gondola 18 115 Mossurize 284 1,391 TOTAL 412 2,152 Source: Update on current situation of natural disaster management at Council of Ministers meeting held on 9th August 2016 Lately, the humanitarian agencies have received significant funds to assist the food insecure people in drought affected areas. It is estimated that at least 687,000 people will be reached in the coming months with food assistance for a period of three months. The main agencies/NGOs that will be providing food assistance are WFP, COSACA, CHEMO (consortium of two NGO’s: WV and food for the hunger) and Germany Agro Action. Furthermore, as the Government is also providing food assistance and have pledged funds from World bank, African Development bank and Government of China this number will increase significantly reaching additional 790,800 people resulting in a maximum of 1,477,787 people. Humanitarian partners are also providing assistance on access to water as well as nutrition services and supplements. 2 http://www.fews.net/southern-africa/mozambique/food-security-outlook/july-2016 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator Mozambique Emergency Situation Report No. 5 | 3 Funding Since January till July 2016, the funding for drought response channeled through HCT members reached approximately US$ 85 million. About 54% of these funds were announced/confirmed in July 2016. An additional US$ 20 million are still under negotiation and to be confirmed. Although the HCT members received significant contributions lately, there is still a long way to go in order to assist the drought affected people till the next harvest (March 2017). The total funding requirements estimated in the strategic drought response plan (prepared in April 2016) is US$ 204.3 million and the current funding gap (as of 12 August 2016) is approximately US$ 126.3 million. This means that, the funding received/confirmed so far will only cover 38.2% of the total needs estimated in the SRP. The most funded sector is the food security (food assistance and agriculture) with US$ 67.1 million followed by WASH (US$ 6.6 million) and Nutrition (US$ 4.0 million). US$ 204.3 million requested Funding by sector (in million US$) Funded 38% Unmet 62% The top five contributors for the current drought response are DFID, UN, US, Sweden and EU. Other contributions received are from Japan, Italy and German government (see annex for more details). The top five recipient of these contributions are COSACA, WFP, CHEMO (consortium of World Vision and Food for the Hunger) FAO and UNICEF. Approximately 68% of the funds received were channeled through international NGOs and 32% through UN agencies. Besides the contributions mentioned above, the Government of Mozambique through INGC has pledged funds from African Development Bank (US$ 1 million) and World bank (US$ 15 million). The government prepared already the response plans according to these pledges. United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator Mozambique Emergency Situation Report No. 5 | 4 Humanitarian Response The response actions to the current drought in the country are in Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Sofala, Zambézia and Tete provinces. The actions consist of food and nutrition assistance, drilling/rehabilitation of water boreholes and in some cases water trucking to affected communities. Food Security Needs: Based on SETSAN’s food security and nutrition assessment carried out and 1.5 million people in need of food endorsed by the government in March, 1.5 million people are acutely food insecure assistance and in need of assistance; The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) expects the number of food insecure people to increase and the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report estimates that almost 2 million people will be in need of assistance during the peak of the lean season from October 2016 to March 2017; According to the latest IPC report, more than 30% of households have adopted some forms of livelihood strategies typical of crisis or emergency situations. Around 20% of households in the affected areas of Tete, Manica and Sofala had to sell household goods to meet food needs; 15-40% borrowed money to buy food in all of the affected areas; and over 60% spent their savings to buy food in Tete and Gaza.