OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Central America - Drought
22 October 2001


APPEALS: IFRC and UNICEF

IFRC  is  appealing  for a total amount of CHF 3,507,865 (approximately USD
2,177,000)  in cash, kind and services to assist 59,136 beneficiaries for 6
months.
(Website http://www.ifrc.org/news/appeals.asp)

1.  IFRC reports that subsistence farmers in El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, and Nicaragua are in urgent need of food supplies for at least
three months. The National Societies seek to distribute food in the region
taking into consideration the work of their respective governments, the
World Food Programme, UN Agencies and NGOs, to avoid duplication of
assistance.

2.  To break the cycle of failed crops, agricultural support will be a
fundamental component of this Appeal.  The National Societies plan to
distribute seed and fertilisers to beneficiary farmers while, at the same
time, provide information on their use and training on improving
subsistence agriculture.

3.  The operation to support subsistence farmers and their families, whose
crops were devastated by lack of rainfall aims to supply urgently needed
food to 8,000 families for three months.  It will also monitor health
conditions in severely affected communities and refer cases of
malnutrition for care.  In a second phase, the operation seeks to provide
seed and fertiliser to 9,500 farmers to maximise the chances of a
successful subsequent harvest.

UNICEF is seeking USD 2,587,000 to assist 92,000 families. (Website
http://www.unicef.org/emerg/Appeals.html)

4. UNICEF's response to this emergency is aimed to complement on-going
food security interventions by UN agencies and other organisations. For
each of the four countries included in this Appeal five key areas are
targeted:

  -  Health and Nutrition
  -  Child protection
  -  Water and Environmental Sanitation
  -  Communication and Social Mobilisation
  -  Emergency Preparedness


    |----------+----------+----------+----------+
    |          | Families | Children | Children |
    |          | Affected | affected | suffering|
    |          |          |  by food | secondary|
    |          |          | shortage |  impacts |
    |          |          |          |          |
    |----------+----------+----------+----------+
    | El       |    40,000|    90,000|   420,000|
    | Salvador |          |          |          |
    |----------+----------+----------+----------+
    | Guatemala|    16,000|    60,000|   120,000|
    | **       |          |          |          |
    |----------+----------+----------+----------+
    | Honduras |    60,000|    45,000|   150,000|
    |----------+----------+----------+----------+
    | Nicaragua|    21,500|    46,300|       N/A|
    |----------+----------+----------+----------+
    | TOTALS   |          |          |          |
    |----------+----------+----------+----------+


    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|
    |          |Municipalities| Families | Preliminar|
    |          |   affected   | Targeted |  y budget |
    |          |              | by UNICEF| requested |
    |          |              | programme|           |
    |          |              |     *    |           |
    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|
    | El       | 62 (19 badly)|    10,000|    750,000|
    | Salvador |              |          |           |
    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|
    | Guatemala|            34|    25,000|    700,000|
    | **       |              |          |           |
    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|
    | Honduras |           107|    45,000|    500,000|
    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|
    | Nicaragua|            59|    12,000|    637,000|
    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|
    | TOTALS   |              |    92,000|  2,587,000|
    |----------+--------------+----------+-----------|



* Initial estimates for numbers who will be covered through the duration
of the programme.

** Although it is difficult to determine the full magnitude of impacts, an
estimated 16,000 families are affected to date, and the number may
increase to 25,000 through the rest of 2001 and the summer of 2002.


5.  Donors to contact:

IFRC
Olaug Bergseth, Federation Desk Officer
Tel. +(41) 22 730 45 35
Fax. +(41) 22 733 0395
Email: bergseth@ifrc.org

UNICEF
Dan Rohrmann, Senior Fundraising Officer
Tel. +(212) 326 7009
Email: drohrmann@unicef.org


6.  This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int


Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
  Mr. Erik Haegglund / Ms. Masayo Kondo
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 3299 / 1997

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


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