WFP Emergency Report - 42: 19-Oct-01

WFP EMERGENCY REPORT Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme Report No. 42 / 2001 - Date 19 October 2001

This report includes: (A) West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Tajikistan, (3) Pakistan, (4) Iran (B) South Asia: Sri Lanka (C) Southern Africa: Angola (D) West Africa: Sierra Leone (E) Great Lakes Region: Burundi (F) Eastern Europe Region: (1) Russian Federation, (2) Balkans (G) Latin America and Caribbean Region: (1) Belize, (2) Guatemala, (3) El Salvador, (4) Nicaragua, (5) Peru >From Francesco Strippoli, Senior Humanitarian Adviser; available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page (www.wfp.org), or by e-mail from Zlatan.Milisic@wfp.org. For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Valerie.Sequeira@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2009. Media queries should be directed to Trevor.Rowe@wfp.org, telephone 39 06 6513 2602. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy. (A) West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Tajikistan, (3) Pakistan, (4) Iran (1) Afghanistan (a) At a press conference on 17 October, the WFP Executive Director said an estimated 52,000 tons of food per month is necessary to feed the six million people identified as the most desperately in need in Afghanistan. She said WFP was currently delivering about 900 tons a day up from 200 tons just after the crisis and expressed confidence that the deliveries could be significantly increased. "In the next ten days we expect to deliver about 16,000 tons if all goes well," Bertini said. 8700 tons are intended for northern Afghanistan. The remainder is planned for Kabul and Sia Khaq. WFP has appealed for a total of USD 257 million to feed the hungry and provide logistical support. (b) In total WFP has 12,725 tons inside Afghanistan and 35,573 tons in neighbouring countries. This 48,000 tons is sufficient to provide food assistance to some 5.7 million people. Since 11 September, WFP has distributed 18,500 tons to approximately 1.8 million people inside Afghanistan. This week 6537 tons was dispatched from regional stocks in Pakistan, Iran Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. (c) The WFP warehouses in Kandahar, and temporarily, Kabul, were occupied by the Taliban this week. As of Thursday 18 October, 2001 the warehouse at Kabul had been returned to WFP. The warehouse in Kandahar, which continues to be occupied, contains 1640 tons of stock and also has parked in its compound one Landcruiser, two pick-up trucks and 10 IH (7-ton) truck. There are reports that some NGOs and UN premises have been looted in Kandahar. Likewise UN and NGOs vehicles are thought to be in use by the Taliban. (d) WFP has been holding extensive meetings with NGOs to finalise the modalities for food distributions inside Afghanistan where NGOs have national staff implementing their programmes. Agreements are being finalized for over 60,000 tons over a period of 3 to 6 months. On 18 October contracts were signed with Oxfam for 5000 tons and the Canadian Relief Foundation for 3500 tons. (e) On 18 October, an NGO meeting was held at the WFP Afghanistan office with about 20 NGOs participating. According to the International Rescue Committee, there are an estimated 165,000 IDPs on the eastern Pakistan border. There was agreement that a strategy for addressing this population will need to be explored. Concern was also expressed for the nomads (Kuchis) population and NGOs were encouraged to submit proposal to assist this population. (f) On 17 October, 1302 tons of wheat was loaded from Kabul into 50 trucks hired by WFP implementing partner, Canadian Relief Fund, to various beneficiary in the districts around Kabul. For security reasons, the wheat was diverted to other destinations in the central districts. On 19 October, Canadian Relief Fund will be distribute wheat from Kabul to Kharwar in Logar Province (250 tons), Jagori in Ghazni Province (306 tons) and Ander in Ghazni (746 tons). (g) In Herat, it has been reported that the security situation is deteriorating with UNICEF and IOM stopping all dispatches from Iran. On 17 October, 100 tons of rice and 30 tons of split peas were given to 2000 households in Mashlak IDP camp, 44 tons of wheat were distributed to 6355 persons in Rawzabagh IDP camp and 4128 tons of wheat were distributed to 2064 people in the Rawzabagh health care center. (h) In Faizabad and surrounding areas, the security situation remains calm with no clashes and no population movements reported. 80 tons of wheat were distributed on the 17 October to 1066 labourers in four food for work activities in Rustaq, Argu and Shegnan districts. WFP food distribution in the area is being severely hampered due to limited availability of commercial transportation because of the sharp increase in the price of diesel from USD 0.05 in the beginning of October to USD 0.75 per litre on 17 October. (2) Tajikistan (a) WFP urgently needs 67,000 tons of food, worth USD 36 million, to cover the needs of the most drought-affected people in Tajikistan from January to June 2002. The crippling drought that hit Tajikistan is part of a regional phenomenon that has also afflicted neighbouring Afghanistan, but donor support for WFP operations in Tajikistan has been much less. (b) Tajikistan's cereal output in 2001, estimated at only 303,000 tons, is down by 36 per cent compared to the average of the last five years. Tajikistan needs more than one million tons of cereals a year for domestic consumption. With commercial imports not expected to exceed 400,000 tons, Tajikistan will have to grapple with an uncovered gap of 341,000 tons until mid 2002. (c) An assessment mission to the Afghan IDPs, located at the bank of the Pianj River along the Tajik-Afghan Border reported that there is need for food assistance for 6000 to 8000 persons. The monthly food requirements would be some 128 tons of mixed food commodities. (3) Pakistan (a) UNHCR will rent warehouse facilities in Chaman and intends to preposition non-food items including tents. A WFP/UNHCR joint field mission will be conducted and food dispatched to Chaman next week. (b) UNHCR plans to have 3 to 4 camp sites ready by the end of the month in the Chaman and Chagui area (Darra 1 and 2, Rhogani, Tor Tangi and Peshook). Total capacity would between 70,000 and 90,000 refugees. (c) UNHCR reported that work is in progress to develop several refugee camps at Khyber and Kurram agencies. Work on prospective camps at North and South Waziristan has been temporarily suspended. It was also reported that on average about 7000 refugees are arriving per day in NWFP province through illegal means. These refugees are staying with their relatives at Peshawar or with Afghan refugee families in some camps. (d) A joint mission conducted at Khyber Agency with the representatives from WFP, UNHCR and CAR, found that the warehouses proposed by the government for pre-positioning of WFP food commodities were suitable. Another mission left Peshawar on 18 October to assess the feasibility of storing WFP food in the proposed warehouses in Bajour and Mohammadan, which are close to the proposed refugee camps. (e) WFP had a meeting on 18 October in Peshawar with representatives of IFRC to discuss the possible participation of Pak Red Crescent Society in the food distributions at the refugee camps. (f) Ms. Claire Short, British Overseas Minister, visited the WFP logistics office in Peshawar on the 18 October. She was accompanied by the British High Commissioner in Pakistan and high officials from the Government of Pakistan. WFP briefed the Minister about WFP assistance for Afghan refugees at Peshawar and the preparedness for the anticipated influx of refugees from Afghanistan. (4) Iran (a) 100 tons of wheat flour was dispatched from Mashhad to Herat on 18 October. 358 additional tons will be dispatched as soon as possible. 2710 tons of wheat flour have been loaded in Bandar Abbas for shipment to Turkmenabad. (b) The Resident Coordinator chaired a meeting of the major agencies with the OECD donors. Attendants were informed of contingency planning for 400,000 refugees for six months by the various representatives (Red Cross, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, and WFP). WFP advised that it is purchasing food for 95,000 refugees for six months. WFP also discussed its cross-border operation and the acquisition of 30,000 tons of wheat flour. (B) South Asia: Sri Lanka (1) Sri Lanka (a) WFP is launching an emergency operation to feed 300,000 people in Sri Lanka as a severe and prolonged drought in the island nation pushes large segments of the population into desperate hardship. Under the USD 8.2 million operation, which runs from October to March 2002, WFP will distribute a month's supply of rice, lentils and sugar to the most vulnerable people in the three hardest-hit districts in southern Sri Lanka's arid zone. Additionally, to avert a disastrous decline in nutrition among these chronically destitute Sri Lankans, WFP will give a fortified blended food mix to 50,000 children under 5 years of age and 14,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers. (b) WFP will also introduce work schemes that will benefit the community, such as cleaning and desilting of irrigation canals. These schemes, designed to offset the effects of future droughts, will carry the 225,000 participants through to the next harvest, in March 2002. (c) The Sri Lanka government estimates that 1.6 million people have been affected in some way by the drought. The majority of the victims are landless labourers, small-scale farmers and subsistence farming families. A joint assessment mission conducted last month by WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that between 30 and 50 per cent of the people in the drought zone were already living below the poverty line when the rains stopped. (C) Southern Africa: Angola (1) Angola (a) Security constraints in Uige province led to the cancellation of WFP World Food Day activities in the province. The number of IDPs reaching the provincial capitals and municipal headquarters continued to rise throughout Angola, increasing the emergency component of WFP Angola's activities. (b) 80 people were reportedly killed and many others were injured during an attack on Kanzo, located 30 kilometers from Cafunfo, in Kuango Municipality, Lunda Norte province. Most of the victims drowned, when they fled into the torrential Kuango River nearby. In a separate incident, six people were killed and others were injured during the attack on two vehicles, on the road between Lucapa and Saurimo. (c) In Uige province, Caritas registered 468 new IDPs in Songo, bringing the total number IDPs in the town to 575. WFP partner organization NRC registered 2679 new IDPs in M'Banza Congo, 837 of which are returnees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through a WFP-Danish Refugee Council project, 237 resettled IDPs received groundnuts and bean seeds and locally collected cassava cuttings from WFP. Unfortunately, due to the military situation, the delivery of 3,000 sticks of ameliorated cassava was postponed. The new variety of cassava, developed in a joint effort between the Angolan Ministry of Agriculture and FAO would benefit IDP communities, as it provides yields at a biannual rate. (d) A meeting was held on 11 October between partner organizations, in which WFP took part, to discuss the resettlement of IDPs in Bié province willing to be voluntarily resettled from Ungundo, Chicala I and II, Tinguita and Boumba. The resettlement areas chosen were Chissingui, Kukema and Kunhinga. The IDPs were already given land where water points have been identified. (e) In Bié province, Belo Horizonte, the Municipal subgroup for identification and registration of new IDPs reported the arrival of 1794 persons from Kuito City and Cunhinga village. In Camacupa, they are more than 8000 new IDPs since September, raising the number of IDPs in Camacupa to over 31,000, according to Angolan Ministry for Social Reinsertion (Minars). (f) WFP and partners distributed some 260 tons of food to 80,352 beneficiaries between 8-12 October in Malange province. In Cangandala, some 607 new IDPs were registered by Minars. The current number of IDPs registered in Cuito Kuanavale (Kuando Kubango province) is 6106 persons. Between 8-12 October, 170 persons arrived at the Menongue transit center which already had 529 inhabitants. (g) In Cunene province, a WFP partnership with EURONAID and Lutheran World Federation has ensured the distribution of 1000 agricultural kits to new and old IDPs in Omatemba municipality, and will include some residents from Calueque, Chivemba, Manquete and Mucope. The package includes seed protection food for six months. As a result of the arrangement, WFP food originally pegged for the area will be distributed in another part of the province. (h) The availability of vegetable oil is ensured up to the end of February, due to an oil donation worth USD 1 million. Deficiencies are still felt in pledges of pulses so that the pipeline is guaranteed only until January. (D) West Africa: Sierra Leone (1) Sierra Leone (a) The security situation in Freetown, Bo, Kenema and Moyamba Districts remained calm during the reporting period. Disarmament and demobilisation activities continue in Bo district. Vehicular movements continue unhindered from Kenema into RUF held areas in Kailahun Districts. Civilians coming from those areas confirmed that vehicles go as far as Koidu. (b) Between 8-15 October, a total of 122 tons of food was distributed to 10,605 IDPs living in Kandeyella I, Kendeyella II and Splendid camps. Through vulnerable group feeding at Blama camp, 12,138 beneficiaries have received 36 tons of food. (c) Preliminary results from monitoring in all supplementary and therapeutic feeding programmes in Freetown show that beneficiary figures have significantly dropped in most feeding centres and WFP's food support, and the improvement of the medical facilities and drugs, has positively impacted the nutritional condition of beneficiaries. (d) 50 tons of food were delivered to Children's Aid Direct (CAD) centres in Lungi and Port Loko District where 2500 under-five malnourished children and 5500 pregnant and lactating women are receiving supplementary nutritional care. Through expanded school feeding programmes, 42 tons of food was distributed to 11,104 beneficiaries in schools in Mile 91 between 8-14 October. (e) Between 8-14 October WFP assisted 170 beneficiaries with 8 tons of food through food for work programs to build 19 temporary classrooms in Kambia District. During the same period 1,750 farm families received 83 tons of food through food for agriculture programs in Samu, Mambolo and Magbema chiefdoms in Kambia district. (f) An HIV/AIDS staff training was conducted in all WFP sub-offices by Ms. Frederica Wyse, Reproductive Health Officer at UNFPA. (E) Great Lakes Region: Burundi (1) Burundi (a) Talks between warring parties in the Burundi conflict continued to be held in both Tanzania and South Africa to agree upon the transitional government. A military delegation from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal visited Burundi on a fact-finding mission. (b) The security situation during the reporting period, 10 September- 7 October, remained volatile in many areas. Confrontations between the army and the rebels were reported in Makamba and Bujumbura Rural provinces. Two main roads leading to interior were temporarily closed to traffic but reopened soon after the confrontations in which some 17 people were officially reported killed. Incursions continued to be reported in Makamba, Rutana and Ruyigi provinces bordering Tanzania. (c) WFP has launched the distribution of the Seeds Protection Rations (SPR) to protect seeds in accordance with FAO seeds distribution programme. This operation was completed in most of the seven provinces and more than 4,000 tons were distributed to over 375,000 people. (d) A WFP/UNHCR joint assessment to the refugee camp in Rugombo commune (Cibitoke province) found that the residents remain largely depend on food assistance. The same teams carried out rapid assessment in Kayanza, Makamba and Rutana provinces and reported that the maize, beans, sweet potatoes, manioc (cassava) and banana were damaged by storms. The teams also conducted an in-depth assessment on food security situation in Ngozi province and reported that the good rainfall should result in an improvement of crops if the weather remained favorable. (e) WFP distributed 262 tons of food to 37,211 beneficiaries in Kayanza province (victims of crop failures), and Bujumbura Mairie and Bujumbura Rural provinces (malnourished people in feeding centers). WFP distributed 40 tons of food to 2331 refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo in Bujumbura Mairie and returnees from Tanzania in Ngozi. (f) WFP authorised dispatches of 338 tons of food to 26,128 most vulnerable persons including orphans, elders, physically and mentally handicapped, street children, chronically ill persons, the deaf/mute children and the blind under the supervision of the social centres in Burundi. (F) Eastern Europe Region: (1) Russian Federation, (2) Balkans (1) Russian Federation (a) The Government has abolished the Ministry of Federation, Nationalities and Migration Policy, which was responsible for registering and assisting IDPs living in the three Northern Caucasus republics of Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan. In accordance with the Presidential Decree, the functions of this Ministry will be divided among the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Economic Development and Trade. (b) The Danish Relief Council (DRC) indicated that 733 new IDPs from Chechnya were registered in Ingushetia between 1 and 15 October. This brings the total of IDPs registered as of 15 October to 146,626. Of these, 21,478 live in tent camps, 31,014 in spontaneous settlements and 94,134 with host families. (c) A household survey recently carried out in Achkoy-Martan and Sunzha districts of Chechnya revealed that 72 percent of the population is poor. WFP has been providing food assistance to about 25,000 IDPs and vulnerable persons in these districts since June. (d) In spite of generous donor contributions, there will be a food pipeline gap in November- January, due to the late arrival of food shipments. In order to meet the shortfall, WFP will require additional cash contribution. Since the level of food stocks was low, WFP reduced the monthly ration of wheat flour from 13.5 kg to 10 kg for October distributions. The Programme has also temporarily removed vegetable oil from distributions in Ingushetia and sugar from those in Chechnya, for the same reason. (e) From 1 to 15 October, by DRC and Islamic Relief (IR) distributed 807 tons of food to 75,800 beneficiaries in Ingushetia. WFP provided a total of 950 tons of food commodities to 83,500 beneficiaries through DRC, People in Need Foundation (PINF) and Caritas International during the same period in Chechnya. A further 8500 beneficiaries received food rations through food-for-work activities in three districts of Grozny, starting from October. (2) Balkans: (a) Kosovo, (b) Serbia, (c) FYRoM, (d) Montenegro, (e) Albania (a) Kosovo 1. According to monitoring conducted by UNHCR, UNICEF and the Red Cross, most of the refugees from fYRoM who are still in Kosovo intend to stay there for the winter. UNHCR and WFP are undertaking separate but coordinated exercises to establish respectively the real number of refugees still in Kosovo and how many are eligible for continued food assistance. 2. October food distributions to 69,000 Social Assistance Scheme beneficiaries are ongoing. WFP, implementing partners and local distribution partners are refining criteria for continuing the phase-down. In addition, discussions are being held with various agencies about the continued provision of assistance to those families most in need after WFP phases out in March 2002. 3. According to a recent poverty survey by the World Bank, 12 per cent of the population in Kosovo live in extreme poverty, and a further 38 per cent live under the poverty line. These figures are among the highest in Europe. (b) Serbia 1. Two workshops were recently held in Belgrade: one on monitoring and evaluation, for food aid monitors from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo; and another on programming, procurement and LTSH. 2. The WFP Serbia Office is working closely with the Ministry of Social Affairs to implement capacity-building measure for local Government monitors. (c) FYRoM 1. The WFP fYRoM office continues to provide basic rations to approximately 4,600 refugees living in host families and collective centres. The September/October double distribution of food commodities to refugees in host families is nearly completed. 2. UN and ICRC teams continued assessment visits to conflict-affected villages. As of 14 October, the Macedonian Red Cross had registered 53,800 IDPs. WFP, in cooperation with Action against Hunger, continued its assessment of the food aid needs of returnees and conflict-affected persons. (d) Montenegro 1. The September/October distribution to 25,000 social cases is ongoing. A workshop in warehouse management is scheduled to take place in November. 2. Distribution to IDPs and refugees for the same period were16, 750 and 8,100, respectively. The proportion of beneficiaries picking up rations was 20 per cent higher than the previous bi-monthly period. In addition, a one-time bi-monthly ration was provided to 130 of the most vulnerable members of the Organization of Deaf and Mute Persons in four northern municipalities. 3. WFP held several meetings with the Montenegrin Commissioner for Displaced Persons (MCDP) to discuss the updating of distribution lists. MCDP promised to take appropriate action. (e) Albania 1. WFP Albania distributed food commodities to approximately 3,900 unassisted-unemployed households (19,500 beneficiaries) in the northern prefectures of Kukes, Lezha, Diber and Shkodra. 2. On 3 October WFP participated in the Follow-up Workshop for the Preparation of the Common Country Assessment/United Nations Development Assistance Framework (CCA/UNDAF). The main objectives of the workshop were to update those involved in the CCA/UNDAF process on the most recent developments, and review the timeline and the implementation mechanisms. 3. On 8 October WFP organized a workshop on monitoring and evaluation techniques and tools. Staff from the Kosovo Office and WFP's implementing partners in Albania also took part in the workshop. (G) Latin America and Caribbean Region: (1) Belize, (2) Guatemala, (3) El Salvador, (4) Nicaragua, (5) Peru (1) Belize (a) Based on the WFP assessment conducted in coordination with UN partners and Government authorities on the impact of Hurricane Iris, WFP will approve an IRA-EMOP. This operation will target the most affected persons in the Toledo and Stann Creek districts, both of which were the hardest hit areas by Hurricane Iris. (b) WFP is planning a three-month intervention that will help the most food insecure of those affected by the hurricane recover their livelihoods and, for those who are small farmers, bridge the gap between now and the next harvest in March, 2002. (2) Guatemala (a) WFP continues to work with the figure of 16,945 drought-affected persons. Despite the availability of locally produced food commodities, the affected families cannot access them due to a fall in their purchasing capacity as a consequence of the drought and limited job opportunities. (b) Although rain precipitation is normalizing, further assistance may be needed in the Champerico and San Miguel Villaseca districts in the southern region of the country because of crop failure. The nutritional situation in Camotán and Jocotan districts continues to be evaluated by UNICEF. (c) A first shipment of 894 tons of maize and vegetable oil arrived in early October for drought-affected people. This will only cover the requirements of the first food distribution and repay loans from the development projects. (d) WFP in conjunction with UNICEF has made a rapid assessment in the southern coast region, as well as in the western, northern and eastern regions of Guatemala. The preliminary results show that some areas of the southern coast region may continue with a serious food deficit. Lack of employment, partly due to the international coffee crisis, is affecting people's capacity to purchase food. Interventions are not required for drought-affected persons in the western highlands. (e) WFP is working jointly with the Red Cross and the government (FIS) on a joint effort aimed at ten communities in the Rabinal (Baja Verapaz) y Camotán (Chiquimula). (3) El Salvador (a) The second phase of distributions by the governmental counterpart (DAA) began through the provision of 311 tons of food to 15,560 drought-affected people in eastern El Salvador. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) continued to distribute 206 tons of food to 17,500 people involved in food for work activities in the provinces of Usulutan, San Miguel, La Union, and Morazan. CARE and World Lutheran Federation (WLF) are expected to distribute 254 tons of food in the coming weeks to another 26,155 people. (b) CARE and its 7 NGO counterparts have distributed food to 60,650 people affected by the earthquakes in the provinces of Usulutan and San Vicente. CARE has also begun distributing 20 tons of food to families with special nutritional needs. (c) Another 19,000 persons were also assisted by WLF in the provinces of La Libertad, Sonsonate and Ahuachapan. WLF distributed 12 tons of food to the most affected families. FUSADES (a national NGO) is assisting 6250 persons. WFP has now distributed 8973 tons of food since the 13 January 2001 earthquake. Another 2000 tons will be distributed over the next two months by these NGOs and CRS. However, distributions will reach only 75,000 persons out of the original 200,000 persons due to a 40 per cent shortfall against the original commitment. (4) Nicaragua (a) WFP food for work activities in response to the drought agricultural rehabilitation and local infrastructure projects. (b) During the week of 22 October, FAO, USAID and WFP will be conducting a new field assessment on the expected needs that the drought-affected families will have after mid-November, when the emergency interventions of these three organizations are planned to conclude. (5) Peru (a) Food distribution from the WFP IRA-EMOP has now concluded, having reached 31,366 people. Food distributions under the EMOP 10102 - approved on 31 August for earthquake victims ? have proceeded with loans from other WFP development projects. An approved contribution of USD 300,000 has been received and will be used for local food purchases. The government called upon several donors to determine their assistance, and to coordinate the activities that will take place. Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons (End WFP Emergency Report No 42) distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Center for International Disaster Information Volunteers in Technical Assistance web: www.cidi.org listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Food Program Reports www.cidi.org/humanitarian/wfp