NONO 56 :: ISSUEDISSUED MAYJUNE 5 8 JUNE 2002 FSAU acknowledges the contribution of key partners FEWS NET, CARE, WFP, SC-UK, UNCU, UNDP FSAU REPORTS AND ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTS ? The FSAU Rapid Assessment in GEDO : Gedo Region, particularly the north, is in an acute food security crisis, with food Awdal Region was led by FSAU Food intake for a large number of people well below any acceptable minimum. Even though Security Analyst Charles Rethman productive animals have reportedly returned from Middle and Lower Juba and Ethiopia and Bakol, these animals are providing no direct benefits because: and Livestock Officer Mahdi Kayad ? The animals have not yet been re-integrated with their families. (They are hanging back in between 22-27 May. Its objectives Southern Gedo awaiting the end of the fighting) were to strengthen baseline informa- ? Fighting has spread out of the urban centres into the rural hinterland. tion and obtain a rough update on the food security situation, as well ? Without trading activities and even with a livestock presence, households have no means of accessing food other than milk and trade mechanisms are essential for supporting the as to look at the Gu agricultural sea- poor who do not have the necessary livestock holdings. son in the mountainous area. (Ogo) ? There has been no food aid for more than a month. The last distributions will be depleted. For a copy of the four page report, There has been also been an influx of refugees from Gedo into both Mandera and Dolow, please contact alex.williams@fsau. Ethiopia. Of primary concern are about 4,500 people in Mandera who have not received shel- or.ke ter or assistance from the clan network and who are housed in a camp named BP1 (Border ? The FSAU—FEWS NET Market Post One), just inside Kenya, between Mandera and Belet Hawa. MSF Spain in Mandera are Enumerators Workshop in Somali- treating 60 children in their therapeutic feeding programme (TFP) and there are 1,000 land was held in Hargeisa on 23-24 children and 400 lactating women registered for a supplementary feeding programme (SFP). May led by Sidow Addou (FEWS NET) Refugees in Dolow are thought to number around 3,000-5,000 people, none of whom have and Thierry Antoine (FSAU). A similar received any assistance. (For more details see p. 2. and regional summaries p. 4.) workshop for market enumerators SANAAG AND SOOL REGIONS : These two regions continue to be highly food insecure, will be held in Baidoa in June. following scattered and sporadic Gu rains. The rains were enough to recharge water supplies but pasture remains depleted. FSAU still recommends targeted food aid assistance, therefore ? The FSAU/CARE joint report on for 2,000 households in Sool region and 3,000 in Sanaag region. (For more details, see Household Food Access and Use regional summaries, p. 3.) Survey in Luuq District Gedo Region FLOOD RISK IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA IS OVER : Heavy rainfall in the Ethiopian (18-26 March 2002) is available on Highlands and Southern Somalia during April caused river levels to rise, increasing concerns request. over possible flooding. However, below-average rains during May has lessened the flood risk ? A Central Somalia Food Security for the time being. (For more details, see regional summaries on p. 4.) Network workshop, sponsored by NOVIB, will be held in Jowhar, Middle LINKS BETWEEN HIV/AIDS AND Highlights from the FSAU Shabelle, between 8-12 June. FOOD SECURITY ‘Nutrition Update’ Currently there are very few statistics avail- The crisis for the population of Gedo GU 2002 CROP ESTABLISHMENT able for the number of people infected with Region worsens by the hour. Humanitar- the HIIV/AIDS virus in Somalia. However, sta- ian organisations emphasise the need for The Gu cropping season is still promising tistics in surrounding countries are of grave urgent humanitarian access to deliver the in the main sorghum producing zones of Bay concern. In 1999, four East African countries vital food-aid on which the population is (well above average rains were received in reported prevalence levels above 10%; now dependant. Approximately 200,000 April followed by sufficient rains in May). On neighboring Ethiopia has one of the largest people inside the region have been with- the other hand, the crop situation is uncertain populations living with HIV/AIDS in the world. out their main source of food for over one in most rain-fed areas of Bakol and Hiran While the pandemic was primarily perceived month with fighting and landmines pre- (poor rains in May). Cultivated land was close as a health crisis in its early years, linkages venting deliveries. to normal in southern Gedo where crops were are now widely acknowledged between HIV/ Refugees in Mandera, Kenya, esti- well established. Planting of both rain-fed and AIDS and a broad range of other issues includ- mated to number up to 15,000, have not irrigated crops was hampered by insecurity in ing food security. HIV/AIDS undermines agri- received food aid to date. In an effort to northern Gedo (cropped land has been far cultural systems and affects the nutritional save lives among the most vulnerable, below normal). June’s rainfall will be crucial in situation and food security of rural families. As some selective feeding programmes are most rain-fed areas in order to achieve good adults fall ill and die, families face declining in place in Luuq, Belet Hawa and in Man- yields. Due to heavy rains received in April, productivity as well as loss of knowledge about dera, Kenya. crops had to be replanted in parts of Middle indigenous farming methods and loss of as- Malnutrition , death and displacement and Lower Juba. Good prospects are foreseen sets. FAO has estimated that in the 25 most- due to insecurity inside northern Gedo for irrigated maize in Middle and Lower affected African countries, AIDS could kill 16 can now be assumed to be critical. Shabelle. The FSAU Gu 2002 crop establish- million agricultural workers within the next 20 For more details, see the FSAU ment field survey (27/05 -08/06) has re- years. Contact FEWS NET ([email protected]) monthly publication ‘Nutrition Update’, or cently concluded in southern Somalia. Final for the Somalia presentation on this subject at contact [email protected] results will be available in the coming weeks. the June 11th SACB Food Security Meeting. The FSAU is funded by the EC and implemented by FAO. The FSAU Nutrition component is funded by USAID. Further information is available through PO Box 1230, Narobi, Tel: (254-2) 3741299, 3745734, While all efforts have been made to utilize the most accurate data and information 3748297, Fax: 3740598, E-mail: [email protected], or look at www.unsomalia.org under available, neither FSAU, FEWS Net or any of their supporters or partners endorse the ‘FSAU’ webpage. any figure or political boundary as definitive. FSAU Monthly Food Security Report for June 2002 THE GEDO REFUGEES AND THEIR SITUATION MARKET PRICES AND TRENDS GEDO REFUGEES IN MANDERA, KENYA Evolution of Somaliland Shilling Exchange Rate against US Dollar Because many cereal in Hargeisa Market, from Jan-00 to May-02 In the second week of May, up to 10,000 additional people commodities are im- 8,000 moved across the border into Mandera (Kenya) as a result of insecu- ported into the North- 7,000 rity in Belet Hawa.(Somalia) A previous influx of some 6,000 6,000 West, the evolution of the refugees from Belet Hawa in mid-April was mostly absorbed into the 5,000 Somaliland shilling 4,000 Mandera Somali community with whom they are linked by marriage, against the US Dollar 3,000 business and other activities. However, the second influx from Belet plays a major role in the 2,000 1,000 Hawa town has remained in a location on the outskirts of Mandera Somaliland Shilling per Dollar local economy, affecting known as BP1 (Border Post 1) a few hundred metres inside Kenya. 0 people’s purchasing Within a few days and following some military developments in Jan-00 Mar-00 May-00 Jul-00 Sep-00 Nov-00 Jan-01 Mar-01 May-01 Jul-01 Sep-01 Nov-01 Jan-02 Mar-02 May-02 power. The graph on the Source: FSAU & FEWS NET Somalia, many of the refugees in BP1 decided to return to Somalia. right shows that the However, about 4,500 refugees remained in BP1. Reports suggest Somaliland shilling lost 45% of its value against the dollar, between that many of the refugees at BP1 are formerly internally displaced Jan 2000-May 2002. What is striking, though, is that the shilling people from within Somalia who had been trying to make a living in normally loses value faster than the price increases in imported Belet Hawa and who have no ties with the Mandera community. Even commodities, effectively making them cheaper. before these former IDP’S arrived in Mandera, their nutritional status One way of analysing purchasing power is to look at terms of trade, is likely to have been extremely poor. in this case the daily As the refugee crisis evolved at the beginning of May, WFP air- Comparison of Terms of Trde(Daily Wages/Rice) in Hargeisa Market, Jan-02- May-02 labour wage against lifted 7.5 MT of food to Mandera for distribution at BP1. However, the cereal price. The insecurity at the camp prevented any distribution. WFP then trucked 14 graph shows a 100 MT of food to Mandera for further general food distributions but 12 steady decline, indi- they have been unable to deliver to the refugees due to the insecu- 10 cating that although rity.