U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
Sahelian West Africa - Humanitarian Emergency
Fact Sheet #4, Fiscal Year (FY) 2005  August 26, 2005


Note:  The last fact sheet was dated August 23, 2005.

NUMBERS AT A GLANCE       SOURCE

Affected population - Niger
2,700,000
Government of Niger, August 19, 2005

Affected population - Mali
1,000,000
WFP (1), August 5, 2005

Affected population - Mauritania
600,000
WFP, August 5, 2005

Affected population - Burkina Faso
500,000
WFP, August 5, 2005

Total Affected Population (2)
4,800,000



Total FY 2005 USAID Assistance to Niger, Mauritania, Mali,
Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Sahel Regional Locust Response   $133,892,006

1 U.N. World Food Program

2 Affected populations may have varying levels of need, from complete food
distributions to little or no assistance.



CURRENT SITUATION

Regional Update

- The Assistant Administrator of USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict,
and Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/DCHA), Michael Hess, is currently on a
10-day trip to Niger and Mali to visit USAID-funded projects in affected
areas and conduct humanitarian assessments with USAID Disaster Assistance
Response Team (USAID/DART) representatives in the field. On August 26,
Assistant Administrator Hess and the USAID/DART traveled to Gao Region in
northeastern of Mali.

- The U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) reported on August 26 that
31,259 cholera cases and 517 deaths have been recorded in Burkina Faso,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal to
date in 2005.  Cholera is endemic to West Africa and cases are expected at
this time of year; however, WHO reported that there has been an "unusually
high incidence" of cholera this year.  The U.N. Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced plans to hold a
meeting in Dakar, Senegal the week of August 29, to assess the scope of
the outbreak and response to date, and to agree on priority actions to
enhance future responses.

- The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported on August 25
that low numbers of scattered solitarious adult locusts have been found in
Mauritania, Mali, and Niger, and reports of limited locust breeding have
come from Mauritania.  Ground surveys supplemented by helicopters are
underway in the Sahel to detect the first signs of an increase in the
locust population.  However, locust control operations in these countries
have not been needed this growing season.


Niger Update

- On August 23, Assistant Administrator Hess traveled with the USAID/DART
to Tillaberi Region, where the Government of Niger (GON) reports that
823,000 people are vulnerable.  As a result of locust infestation and
drought in 2004, the region suffered a 131,000 metric ton (MT) cereal
deficit, approximately 57 percent of the national cereal deficit.
Regional government representatives stated that the region had not
suffered a large number of animal losses since many animals moved to
better pasture in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Benin.

- The governor of Tillaberi Region reported that the 2005 rainy season has
been satisfactory to date, and that 26 out of 30 meteorological posts
throughout the region have recorded rain surpluses compared to 2004.
According to a government crop production assessment, production is
expected to reach 96 percent of optimal levels in areas planted if rains
are favorable and continue until September 30, while production levels
will be 82 percent if rains stop on September 15.  The government crop
assessment found that 217 out of 1,661 villages in the region were at risk
for food insecurity as of July 31.

- Assistant Administrator Hess and the USAID/DART also visited Dessa,
Tillaberi Region, a village that benefited from a USAID-funded seed fair
program.  In the Tillaberi and Ouallam departments, USAID implementing
partner Catholic Relief Services (CRS) conducted seed fairs in June 2005
during which 10,000 households received their preferred choice of seeds to
plant during the 2005 agricultural season.  Women beneficiaries planted
cash crops, such as sesame and okra, in fields close to their homes, while
men worked the families' plots of millet, sorghum, and beans.



- According to WHO and the GON Ministry of Health, 125 cases of cholera,
with 15 deaths - representing a case-fatality rate of 12 percent - were
reported in the Bouza Department of Tahoua Region from July 13 to August
24.  A WHO mission assessed the area and delivered antibiotics and oral
rehydration salts to treat the most severe cases.  WHO has distributed
cholera kits that provide treatment for up to 100 patients to treat severe
cholera cases in the 8 regions of Niger.

- WHO reported that a 6-day workshop for doctors and nurses on managing
severe malnutrition began in Tillaberi on August 22.  The workshop is the
first in a series of similar training courses jointly implemented by WHO
and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF).

- WFP reported that a meeting was held in Niamey on August 22 to implement
WFP's monitoring and evaluation plan for the first round of general food
distributions.  A post-distribution monitoring (PDM) exercise will be
conducted using focus group methodology.  On August 29, WFP will hold a
training for all food aid monitors and program assistants on how to
administer the PDM questionnaire.

- WFP has appealed for $57.6 million through the Niger Emergency Operation
(EMOP).  To date, WFP has received $28 million in contributions, or
approximately 49 percent of the appeal.  Due to anticipated shortages of
pulses for the 2 rounds of general distributions in August and September,
WFP may reduce the pulses ration from 15 to 10 kg in the September round
of general distributions.


Mali Update

- On August 22, the USAID/DART met with the governor of Gao Region.  The
governor noted that patchy and localized rains in the mainly pastoral
region had contributed to poor livestock conditions by bringing many herds
together in concentrated areas, resulting in significant overgrazing.
There were also reports of high animal mortality.  In addition, in the
small agricultural area of Ansango, grain-eating birds reportedly
destroyed many crops this year.

- The USAID/DART traveled to Djebok in Gao Region to observe the weekly
livestock market on August 22.  The animals appeared healthy, and
relatively inexpensive wheat flour and rice were available from Algerian
traders who had traveled to the market to purchase livestock.  As the
USAID/DART has seen and heard repeatedly, a significant number of
livestock died this year, animal prices were low, and cereal prices were
high.  The price for goats was half the normal price for this time of
year, and cattle prices were down by 33 percent.

- On August 23, the USAID/DART traveled to N'Tillit, approximately 130 km
south of the town of Gao, and met with local officials and community
members.  The situation in N'Tillit has improved significantly with the
recent rains.  The area along the road was thick with pasture and full of
large pools of water, far better than conditions encountered in other
parts of the affected regions.  N'Tillit was the first community the
USAID/DART encountered in which residents stated that 2000 - with the locust
emergency and only 56 mm of rain - was considerably worse than 2005 with 196
mm of rain to date. The animals around N'Tillit appeared healthy, but
residents noted that more than 50 percent of their animals, mainly cattle
and sheep, had died earlier in the year.  As encountered virtually
everywhere in Mali's affected regions, livestock prices were reported as
approximately half of normal, and grain prices approximately double,
diminishing the terms of trade between livestock and grain.

- From August 18 to 20, the USAID/DART assessed food security conditions
throughout Timbuktu Region, visiting the districts of Timbuktu, Goundam,
and Gourma Rharous.  Failed rains and the locust emergency of 2004
decimated agricultural production and pasture conditions.  As a result,
terms of trade to exchange animals for grain became less favorable, making
the purchase of grains extremely expensive for pastoralists.  In this
region, the USAID/DART observed hundreds of animal carcasses and received
reports that areas lost of up 70 percent of their herds.  Local leaders in
Timbuktu Region agreed that while the present situation does not amount to
famine and is not as bad as the 1984/1985 drought, real needs are present.


Burkina Faso Update

- According to the USAID/DART, the Government of Burkina Faso's (GOBF)
cereal distributions to the northern provinces have reduced the national
security stock to the minimum allowable level of between 11,000 and 12,000
MT.  The GOBF cannot access these reserves without declaring an emergency.
The GOBF aims to maintain a cereals reserve of 35,000 MT to ensure a
sufficient amount for every resident for one month.

- According to WFP, from November 2004 to September/October 2005, the
GOBF, WFP, and NGOs will have distributed or sold at subsidized prices
approximately 35,500 MT of cereals.  The GOBF sold 14,000 MT of cereals at
subsidized prices and distributed 500 MT from the national security
stocks; WFP and NGOs will have distributed 12,000 MT; and WFP's
development program will have distributed 9,000 MT to affected areas
through food-for-work and school feeding programs.  These interventions
are to a large extent an expansion of existing programs and have lessened
the severity of the localized food crisis.


Mauritania Update

- The USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET)
reported on August 23 that a good start to the rainy season, coupled with
the effects of emergency aid programs, has notably reduced food insecurity
in agro-pastoral and rain-fed crop zones in Mauritania.  Within these
zones, however, pockets of extreme food security exist in Bassikounou
Moughataa, located in southwest Mauritania, and Aftout, west of the
agro-pastoral zone.  Both WFP and Medecins Sans Frontieres/Belgium have
observed high malnutrition rates, which FEWS NET has noted are linked to
reduced food access because of extreme poverty, a break in trade with Mali
because of heavy rainfall in the border zone with Mali, and delays in the
delivery of assistance.




USAID ASSISTANCE

Regional Response

- The USAID-supported West Africa Regional Program (WARP) handles West
African development challenges that are most effectively addressed at a
regional level.  WARP works closely with USAID missions in the region,
including USAID's bilateral missions in Mali and Senegal, and U.S.
embassies in countries where USAID does not have a mission.  The Sahelian
countries benefit from WARP through their membership in such organizations
as the West African Economic and Monetary Union, the Economic Community of
West African States, and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought
Control in the Sahel (CILSS).  WARP supports activities in 19 West African
countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Niger.
WARP representatives are currently working in the region to develop
strategies to control market fluctuation and implement near-term market
interventions.

- In response to the 2004/2005 locust infestation, USAID provided nearly
$14 million to support locust control efforts throughout Sahelian West
Africa in FY 2005.  Through a grant to the U.N. Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), USAID supported agricultural relief and recovery
programs, including the provision of livestock feed support and
agricultural inputs for dry season gardening activities, in Niger.  USAID
provided support to the Government of Mali for combating the locust
infestation, providing pesticides, and funding related control activities.
In Mauritania and Senegal, USAID supported locust prevention and response
activities, including an aerial spraying campaign.


Niger

USAID has provided nearly $19 million in assistance to Niger to date in FY
2005.  These funds have supported food security and agriculture projects,
emergency and development food assistance, and airlifts of fortified food
for emergency nutrition programs.  USAID assistance funds programs focused
on community-based development, child survival and health, youth, and
human rights.  USAID has also provided 12,230 MT of development food
assistance and 7,860 MT of emergency food assistance to Niger in FY 2005.


Mali

To date in FY 2005, USAID has provided more than $39 million in assistance
to Mali.  In FY 2005, USAID has provided 1,710 MT of development food
commodities to Mali.  Additionally, USAID's development program in Mali
works to expand economic opportunities, particularly for the rural poor;
provides high impact health services to improve the health and welfare of
women and children; mitigates the spread of HIV/AIDS; improves the quality
of basic education; consolidates democracy through support of
decentralization; supports human rights; and accelerates overall
development by making information more widely accessible.


Burkina Faso

USAID has provided approximately $18 million in assistance to date in FY
2005.  USAID focuses the majority of its assistance to Burkina Faso on
improving food security.  In FY 2005, USAID has provided 24,240 MT of
development food commodities.  USAID also funds programs that support
local human rights, community-based development activities, political
party development, and technical assistance for elections.


Mauritania

To date in FY 2005, USAID has provided more than $16 million to various
programs in Mauritania.  USAID activities in Mauritania primarily focus on
improving food security.  USAID has provided 15,080 MT of development food
assistance and 16,240 MT of emergency food assistance to Mauritania in FY
2005.  USAID also funded programs addressing human rights and
community-based development activities.


Senegal

To date in FY 2005, USAID has provided nearly $31 million to Senegal.
USAID activities in Senegal focus largely on the sectors of health,
economic growth, agriculture, and education.  USAID has provided 4,390 MT
of development food assistance to Senegal in FY 2005.



BACKGROUND

In 2004, an early end to the rains and desert locust damage to pasture
lands adversely affected pasture availability and cereal production in
Sahelian West Africa.  These events exacerbated existing poverty and
vulnerabilities and resulted in elevated food insecurity in agro-pastoral
and pastoral zones in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania.  The
situation in Niger is considered to be an emergency, with more than 2.7
million people affected.  In Burkina Faso, Mali, and Mauritania, more than
2 million people are affected, and the situation in these countries
warrants close monitoring.

Regional assessments have used the word "affected" to impart that this
population was impacted in some way by either locust infestation or the
early cessation of rains.  Affected populations have varying levels of
humanitarian needs.  Some may require food distributions, while others may
require little or no assistance of any kind.  USAID recognizes that
endemic poverty and underdevelopment are critical factors contributing to
the current humanitarian emergency and is committed to addressing these
factors through an appropriate combination of USAID development and
humanitarian assistance.

According to the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS
NET), recent assessments continue to show consistent rainfall and good
crop and pasture conditions in most of Niger and almost all of the rest of
Sahelian West Africa.  The short-term outlook for these conditions is for
steady improvement.  Prospects for crop harvests in Niger and the rest of
the Sahel are generally good to excellent, with the exception of certain
areas in the pastoral zone of the Tillaberi and western Tahoua regions in
Niger; these zones had intermittent rains and an extended dry spell this
year.  Loss of assets or livestock over the past year may result in
continued vulnerability for some families beyond the harvest.

In response to the humanitarian emergency, USAID deployed a USAID/DART to
Sahelian West Africa on August 3, 2005.  USAID/DART staff include public
health and nutrition specialists, a water and sanitation specialist, food
aid officers, and information officers.  Additional USAID/DART members
already in the region include regional advisors for North and West Africa,
a development officer, and a FEWS NET representative.  On August 11, USAID
activated a Response Management Team (RMT) in Washington, D.C. to assist
the USAID/DART.



USAID ASSISTANCE TO NIGER

Implementing Partner
  Activity
  Location
  Amount

USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE (3)

CRS
  Food Security/Agriculture
  Tillaberi and Zinder
  $494,513

FAO
  Food Security/Agriculture
  Countrywide
  $50,000

UNICEF
  Airlift of 251 MT of fortified food for emergency nutrition programs
  Countrywide
  $543,826

World Vision
  Nutrition
  Maradi and Zinder
  $1,087,711

Helen Keller International
  Nutrition
  Diffa
  $1,091,471

CDC
  Nutritional Survey
  Countrywide
  $16,000

TOTAL USAID/OFDA
  $3,283,521


USAID/FFP ASSISTANCE

Consortium including Africare, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, and Helen
Keller International
  12,230 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Development Food Assistance
  Agadez, Dosso, Tahoua, and Zinder
  $7,390,000

WFP
  7,860 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Emergency Food Assistance
  Countrywide
  $5,800,000

TOTAL USAID/FFP
  $13,190,000



USAID/AFR ASSISTANCE

Youth Programs
$500,000

Democracy and Human Rights Fund
$92,000

Special Self-Help
$74,000

Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative
$1,050,000


WARP Support
$732,000

TOTAL USAID/AFR
$2,448,000

TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO NIGER IN FY 2005
$18,921,521

3 USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as
of August 26, 2005.



USAID ASSISTANCE TO MALI

Implementing Partner
  Activity
  Location
  Amount

USAID/FFP ASSISTANCE (4)

Africare
  1,710 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Development Food Assistance
  Timbuktu Region
  $930,000

WFP
  1,000 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Emergency Food Assistance
  Countrywide
  $667,100

TOTAL USAID/FFP
  $1,597,100

USAID/AFR ASSISTANCE


Economic Growth (5)
$1,723,000

Education
$5,755,000

Democracy and Governance
$1,447,000

Health
$15,705,000

Agriculture/Environment5
$11,044,000

Democracy and Human Rights Fund
$70,000

Special Self-Help Fund
$77,000

Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative
$725,000

WARP Support
$1,389,000

TOTAL USAID/AFR
$37,935,000

TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO MALI IN FY 2005
$39,532,100


4 For Reporting purposes, USAID/Mali's P.L. 480 Title II program is
combined with the P.L. 480 Title II program in Chad. The implementing
partner is responsible for reporting on both Mali and Chad.  The
referenced figures are therefore not reflected in Mali's Congressional
Budget Justification (CBJ).

5 This total includes funding for the locust response.



USAID ASSISTANCE TO MAURITANIA

Implementing Partner
  Activity
  Location
  Amount

USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE (6)

DFS
  Locust Response
  $177,777

World Vision
  Supplementary Feeding Program
  $50,000

TOTAL USAID/OFDA
  $227,777



USAID/FFP ASSISTANCE

World Vision and the Doulos Community
  19,330 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Development Food Assistance
  Nouakchott
  $6,579,600

WFP
  16,240 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Emergency Food Assistance
  Brakna, Gorgol, Tagant, Assaba, and Hodh El Gharbi
  $8,671,700

TOTAL USAID/FFP
  $15,251,300




USAID/AFR ASSISTANCE


Democracy and Human Rights Fund
  $80,000

Special Self-Help Fund
  $87,000

Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative
  $250,000

WARP Support
  $459,000

TOTAL USAID/AFR
  $876,000

TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO MAURITANIA IN FY 2005
  $16,355,077


6 USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as
of August 26, 2005.




USAID ASSISTANCE TO BURKINA FASO

Implementing Partner
  Activity
  Location
  Amount

USAID/FFP ASSISTANCE

Africare, Catholic Relief Services
  24,240 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Development Food Assistance
  Zondoma province (Africare); all 45 provinces (CRS)
  $15,570,000

TOTAL USAID/FFP
  $15,570,000



USAID/AFR ASSISTANCE

Democracy and Human Rights Fund
  $69,500

Special Self-Help fund
  $104,000

WARP Support
  $1,628,000

Economic Support Fund
  $463,000

TOTAL USAID/AFR
  $2,264,500

TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO BURKINA FASO IN FY 2005
  $17,834,500




USAID ASSISTANCE TO SENEGAL

Implementing Partner
  Activity
  Location
  Amount

USAID/FFP ASSISTANCE

Counterpart International
  4,390 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Development Food Assistance
  Countrywide
  $2,268,700

TOTAL USAID/FFP
  $2,268,700

USAID/AFR ASSISTANCE

Economic Growth7
  $2,474,810

Basic Education
  $2,927,000

Democracy and Governance
  $1,655,000

Health
  $14,775,000

Agriculture/Environment (7)
  $5,188,000

Human Rights
  $500,000

Democracy and Human Rights Fund
  $70,500

Special Self-Help Fund
  $80,000

Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative
  $175,000

WARP Support
  $803,000

TOTAL USAID/AFR
  $28,648,310

TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO SENEGAL IN FY 2005
  $30,917,010

7 This total includes funding for the locust response.



USAID REGIONAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCUST RESPONSE

Implementing Partner
  Activity
  Location
  Amount

USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE (8)

FAO
  Locust Response
  Chad
  $50,000

AFCAP
  Locust Response
  Mauritania and Senegal
  $2,555,761

DFS
  Locust Response
  Mauritania and Senegal
  $3,101,735

Admin
  Locust Response
  Mauritania and Senegal
  $74,302

USAID/Senegal
  Locust Response
  Mauritania and Senegal
  $50,000

Gov. of Morocco
  Locust Response
  Morocco
  $1,500,000

TOTAL USAID/OFDA
  $7,331,798



USAID/AFR ASSISTANCE (9)

USAID/WARP
  Locust Response
  Regional
  $1,500,000

TOTAL USAID/AFR
  $1,500,000

USAID/ANE ASSISTANCE

Gov. of Morocco
  Locust Response
  Morocco
  $1,500,000

TOTAL USAID/ANE
  $1,500,000

TOTAL USAID REGIONAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCUST RESPONSE IN FY 2005
  $10,331,798



8 USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as
of August 26, 2005.

9 In addition, USAID/AFR provided $1 million to Mali and $2.5 million to
Senegal for locust response, which is reflected in the "USAID Assistance
to Mali" and "USAID Assistance to Senegal" charts.


TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO BURKINA FASO, MALI, MAURITANIA, NIGER, AND
SAHEL LOCUST RESPONSE IN FY 2005
$133,892,006



PUBLIC DONATION INFORMATION

The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash
contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief
operations.  Information on identifying such organizations is available in
the "How Can I Help" section of www.usaid.gov - Keyword: Sahel, or by
calling The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) at
703-276-1914.

USAID encourages cash donations because they:  allow aid professionals to
procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the
burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time,
warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without
transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region;
and ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate
assistance.


More information can be found at:

- USAID:  www.usaid.gov - Keyword: Donations

- The Center for International Disaster Information:  www.cidi.org or
   703-276-1914

- Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be
   found at www.reliefweb.int.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International                  web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information             listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                   guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -