Country: Guatemala
Date: 02. September, 2009
Event: Food Insecurity and Undernutrition in the Dry Corridor (Provinces of Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, Zacapa, Chiquimula El Progreso and Baja Verapaz)
1. BACKGROUND
The number of children affected by severe acute undernutrition, arriving at the national hospital of Jalapa, has increased to 91 since beginning of August 2009 - three times higher compared with the same months of previous years (2007-08).
These are not isolated incidents, and cases of severe acute malnourished children – many under six months of age are also reported in the provinces of Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, Zacapa, Chiquimula, El Progreso and Baja Verapaz, (known as the dry corridor of Guatemala). Out of the 117 children admitted to the National Hospital of Jalapa, 17 have died between January and July.
The dry corridor has been facing annual food shortages before, but this year, the food situation is exacerbated by the fact that several crises occurring within a relatively short time frame.
- Previous crop losses (as a result of the Tropical Depression No 16 in October 2008) in the grain-surplus provinces of Peten, Izabal and Alta Verapaz have reduced stable foods in the market and increased prices in local food markets. Prices for grain and black beans are almost at the same high levels of 2008.
- Food stocks at household level that usually bring families over the lean season are depleted.
- Furthermore the global economic crisis has reduced remittances, exports, foreign investment, tourism revenues, access to credit and increased unemployment.
The combination of these factors is pushing the working poor into the ranks of the hungry poor, where thousands of households lacking purchasing power to access food.
The food shortage at the market and household level is likely to deteriorate, after experiencing a critical period of irregular rainfalls. Forecasts predict a loss of the up-coming harvest between 60-80 percent in some of the provinces, which will put even more households at very high risk of becoming food insecure.
A nutritional survey, conducted in all the seven provinces of the dry corridor revealed severe acute undernutrition among years in 175 cases, which translates into 1.39 percent of the total 12,570 children evaluated. The study was led by the Ministry of Health with the participation of other government institutions and WFP, covering 29 municipalities and 131 communities.
2. OPERATIONS
2.1 Food distribution and monitoring
WFP, in coordination with UN agencies, allocated a total, 20 mt of High Energy Biscuits (HEB) and 200 mt of different food commodities (corn soy blended food, black beans and corn) as an immediate response. WFP food complements the family ration prepared by the government to assist some 75,000 families living in areas classified as being highly food insecure. The family ration consists of corn, fortified flower, black beans, rice, chicken tins and oil and provides half the energy requirements for a family of five persons for 30 days. WFP is monitoring the timely distribution of food assistance, with monitors constantly reporting on the ground.
According to government estimation, another case load of 93,000 families, affected by the damages of the up-coming harvest, will be in need of food assistance for a 4-6 months period. WFP will respond with increased food for work programs that promotes agricultural production of subsistence farmers and preserve/rehabilitate the environment.
The government has made available US Dollars 7,5 million to complete the first phase of the `National Contingency Plan`. To address food needs of the 93,000 families, the government has invited the diplomatic community and local donors in Guatemala to make contributions to respond to the crisis.
2. PIPELINE
Current funds allow operational activities to continue only until the end of September. Additional donations are urgently needed in order to respond adequately to the current crisis and to overcome the September-pipeline break of Vitaceral, a fortified food that is provided to 100,000 children under 3 years of age and 50,000 pregnant-lactating women, who are living in 136 communities of Guatemala classified as highly food insecure.
