OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Niger Food Crisis 2005
30 July - 8 August 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I HUMANITARIAN HIGHLIGHTS

Revised Flash Appeal for Niger

In view of the aggravation of the crisis in Niger, the UN and its
partners have revised the Flash Appeal originally launched on 19 May
2005. The updated USD 81 million inter-agency appeal aims at
recuperating 32,000 severely malnourished children and 160,000
moderately malnourished children, as well as distributing free food
commodities to a targeted 2.5 million persons among the most vulnerable.
Other important related needs include access to primary health care and
basic reproductive health care, rehabilitation of polluted boreholes,
protection of livestock, provision of seeds and strengthening of
response coordination. In Niger, the appeal was launched on 5 August by
the UN Resident Coordinator and newly appointed Humanitarian Coordinator
for Niger, Mr. Falavigna, in Maradi. The launch took place in the
presence of UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ms. Rima Salah and the
Honourable Aileen Carroll, Canadian Minister of International
Cooperation.

Current distributions

>From 24 July to 3 August WFP dispatched 2,710 metric tonnes of food to
feed 233,843 people. The NGO Plan reported on 30 July that the
organisation is in the process of distributing 2,350 metric tonnes of
rice to 99 villages in Tillabery region. Plan's trucks with rice left
Niamey for Tillabery on Thursday 28 July. Distribution began on Friday
29 July.

Distribution plan finalised

The total number of people in need of food aid was revised last week,
when the National Early Warning system included an additional 149,109
persons in the level five (Zones 'at risk'). The total number of people
in need of food aid is now up from 2.5 million to 2,649,109 and WFP, GoN
and the NGO Plan are coordinating distribution plans so that all 2.65
million people will be reached through the first round of distributions
in August. WFP will reach 1.85 million people, the Government 700,000
and PLAN will reach the remaining 100,000 beneficiaries. In the first
round, WFP will provide a family ration, based on the average
nutritional needs of a family of 7 people, which consists of 100 kg of
cereals, 15 kg of pulses and 5 kg of vegetable oil. In the second round,
WFP will target the 1.7 million beneficiaries in levels 1 and 2 - those
areas considered "extremely critical" and "critical". This second round
will be a reduced ration, consisting of 50 kg of cereals and 15 kg of
pulses. As of 4 August, WFP's operation is 40% funded, having received
22.8 million USD in contributions. The current shortfall is 34.8 million
US dollars, corresponding to 51,588 metric tonnes of food.

II NATIONAL CONTEXT

1 Nutritional situation update

MSF reports that between 1 January and 31 July 2005, the organisation
has admitted 15,768 severely malnourished children to feeding centers in
Niger. Admissions have accelerated since early June and a peak of 1,647
severely malnourished children was registered in week 30 (24-30 July).

Illustration: total number of admissions by week and by site as of 31
July,

MSF - France Nutritional programme Niger 2005
(image not available)


2 Cereals

According to the National Information System on Agricultural Markets
(Systeme d'Information Marches Agricole - SIMA) prices on cereals
continued to increase in June.

Illustration: Yearly trends in millet prices (June 2001-05)
(image not available)

Source: SIMA; Graphic by FEWS NET



3 Livestock

Prices on livestock continue to deteriorate

According to the National Information System on Livestock Markets
(Systeme d'Information Marches Betail - SIMB) prices continued to
decrease during the week of 26 July - 1 August. As such, the monetary
value of livestock compared to the equivalent in cereals continues to
depreciate, rendering agro-pastoralists further vulnerable.

4 Hydro-meteorological update

Meteorological conditions allow for expansion of planting activities

According to FEWS Net the progress of the 2005/06 growing season shows
favorable meteorological conditions throughout the second dekad of June,
reflected in a significant expansion of planting activities in all parts
of the country compared to the previous ten-day period.  However, even
with good meteorological conditions over the next two weeks, effective
pasture production, the replenishment of water sources and the
satisfaction of the food needs of most of the animal population will
take until late July or early August.

5 Health

Increase in communicable diseases may be expected

WHO reports that the incidence of many communicable diseases is likely
to increase in the next few weeks as a result of the onset of rains and
- where people have moved in search of food - overcrowding, shortages of
water and poor hygiene. Specific disease risks include malaria and
diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis and measles.

6 Security

Regional FSCO

In view of the increase in UN staff presence in Niger, the Regional FSCO
is currently in Niamey. The RFSCO Mr. Hock can be contacted on
charles.hock@undp.org.


III HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

Strengthening of emergency capacities

UN agencies and NGOs have strengthened emergency capacities in all
sectors. WFP has called in some 31 surge capacity staff from the
Regional office in Dakar, from Headquarters in Rome and from other
offices in Africa. UNICEF has deployed surge capacity staff in nutrition
and advocacy and will also strengthen programme management capacities.
FAO has set up an Emergency Coordination Unit (ECU) composed of an
International Emergency coordinator assisted by a team of international
and experienced national experts (agronomists and a veterinarian). WHO
has deployed a three person short term mission from Brazzaville and
Geneva and will on a longer term strengthen capacities in nutrition,
monitoring and prevention. OCHA has deployed four staff members from the
Regional Support Office in Dakar and from Headquarters in Geneva and
recruited a National Liaison Officer and a Database developer locally.
In view of the increase in UN staff in Niger UNDSS has deployed the
Regional Field Security Coordination Officer to Niamey.

NGOs have also increased capacities in Niger significantly. MSF alone
has mobilised 50 expatriate volunteers and 450 local employees. MSF is
currently operating five intensive nutritional rehabilitation centres
(CRENI - Centre de Recuperation Nutritionelle Intensive) and 26
ambulatory nutritional centres where children are treated for severe
malnutrition. The Maradi centre was opened in 2001, while the centres in
Aguie, Dakoro, Tahoua and Keita have progressively been opening since
May 2005 to cope with the emergency.

Islamic Relief is one of the NGOs who have recently settled in Niger. An
IR office has been set up in Niamey and the organization has as of 1
August 2005 opened five supplementary feeding centers in Diamballa,
Kofouno, Namarigongou, Sarakoira and Famale. The organisation intends to
establish 30 Supplementary and Therapeutic Feeding Centres in four
departments, namely Tillaberi, Ouallam, Filingue and Tera.

Other International NGOs present in Niger include, ACF-Spain, Africare,
Afrique Verte, Care, Caritas, CISLS, Concern, CRS, Enfants du Monde,
Epicentre, GOAL, Helen Keller International, Oxfam, Plan, Reunir, Save
the Children, Solthis, SOS Sahel International, Telecommunication sans
frontieres, Veterinaires sans frontiers and World Vision.


IV COORDINATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

1 Strategic level

Appointment of UN Resident Coordinator as Humanitarian Coordinator

On 3 August 2005, upon consultation with the Inter Agency Standing
Committee(1) and on behalf of the Secretary-General, the United Nations
Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Jan Egeland, appointed the UN Resident
Coordinator and UNDP Representative, Mr. Falavigna, as Humanitarian
Coordinator for Niger.  The Terms of Reference for Humanitarian
Coordinators can be downloaded from www.humanitarianinfo.org/iasc

2 Information management

GIS

On 4 August, the UN united Geographical Information System (GIS) Experts
in Niamey with the objective of introducing the Who-does-What-Where
database underway and consult with actors on the ground on possibilities
of establishing common place-codes (P-codes) to be used within the
framework of humanitarian coordination. A consensus was reached on
P-codes for regions and departments and possibilities were identified
for establishing P-codes down to village level. For now, the relevant
data can be downloaded from
http://213.154.77.158/geonetwork/srv/en/main.search


V FUNDING

The latest Financial Tables for Niger can at any time be viewed on-line
at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc105?OpenForm&rc=1&cc=ner

For reporting on contributions, agencies and donors are encouraged to
use the financial tracking system found on www.reliefweb.int or to email
fts@reliefweb.int directly.


Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this document are not necessarily
shared by the UN.


Footnote

(1) The IASC is composed of seven full members (FAO, OCHA, UNDP, UNHCR,
UNICEF, WFP and WHO) and ten Standing Invitees (ICRC, IFRC, IOM, RSG-IDPs,
OHCHR, UNFPA, World Bank and three NGO consortia: Steering Committee for
Humanitarian Response (SCHR), Interaction, and International Council of
Voluntary Agencies (ICVA).

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