The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) Mozambique has developed an El Niño Response Strategy targeting 1.1 million people for the 6 months beginning in November this year prioritising the worst affected districts and population in that country.
The WFP’s response will focus on the provinces of Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala, Manica, and Tete.
This is in the worldwide food assistance organisation’s emergency phase (IPC4) to prevent further deterioration of food insecurity, malnutrition and school dropouts, which were already very critical.
The WFP Mozambique said the El Niño induced rainfall shortage and above average temperatures have resulted in drought in central and southern provinces of Mozambique, impacting agricultural production for vulnerable communities.
As a result, around 2.8 million people were facing food insecurity (IPC 3+), including 510 151 people in IPC4 (emergency level of food insecurity) between April and September this year.
During the lean season (Oct-24/Mar-25), the situation would further deteriorate with around 3.3 million people projected to face food insecurity, of which 390 886 in IPC4 in the provinces affected by El Niño.
Antonella D’Aprile, WFP country director and representative, said the number of people facing food insecurity has risen from 20% last year to 33% next year due to the El Niño induced drought.
“The number of people severely food insecure (IPC4) is almost four times higher than in 2023,” D’Aprile said.
“Due to limited access to food and water, vulnerable groups subject to protection risks tend to opt for and/or rely on negative and harmful coping mechanisms for survival, including risks of sexual exploitation and abuse. For children and adolescents, it directly affects school attendance.”
She said El Niño was impacting the price of staple food crops thereby pushing thousands into vulnerability.
“Overall, maize grain prices in June 2024 were 40% higher or more compared to last year, and 55% higher than the five-year average. Above-average prices, coupled with crop production failure and limited income opportunities, erode the purchasing power of poor and very poor households, leading to food consumption deficits and hunger.”
The intervention will include Humanitarian Food Assistance where the current response foresaw the provision of a monthly in-kind ration covering 82 percent of an individual’s kcal needs. The food basket will be composed of cereals (10kg/pers/month), pulses (2kg/pers/month), oil (0.8kg/pers/month), and iodised salt (0.1kg/pers/month).
To improve the nutritional value of the food basket, Corn-Soy Blend Plus (CSB+) with sugar will be added to the in-kind distribution. Due to limited resources, the CSB+ will only be added in the prioritised vulnerable districts of Manica.
In view of the increase in market prices, and a cost-benefit analysis between different modalities, WFP said it was currently prioritising in-kind food assistance in the El Niño response.
Lifesaving Nutrition Support response plan envisages nutritional support to 135 000 children under the age of 5 (CU5) and 10 000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls (PBWG) for 6 months. The nutrition response will focus on the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition.
Emergency School Feeding will aim at supporting around 150 000 primary school students in line with the percentage of students in primary school through six cycles of Take-Home Rations (THR) or one year of on-site meals.
Supply Chain has prepositioned Global Commodity Management Facility (GCMF) and smallholder farmers procured stocks in Country, which will be used to cover the initial response. Regional GCMF and internationally procured stocks will be considered to fulfil the gaps.
The WFP Supply Chain has secured approximately 20 000 tons of transport payload capacity for the response.
The Food Security Cluster engaged with 16 partners for the preparation of the Drought Flash appeal, targeting 1.4 million people, of which 1.1 million under the food security and livelihoods cluster.
The National Logistics Cluster will work closely with the humanitarian community on information sharing regarding logistics activities and gaps.
WFP has also prepositioned back-up communication (satellites) systems in field offices for rapid deployment. Satellite equipment and computers have been distributed to government partners to support communication capacities.
The UN in Mozambique has also launched an El Niño Drought Appeal for food security and livelihoods, water, sanitation and habitat, nutrition, and protection sectors, for a total of $222 million.