ReliefWeb

Project Title: Food Assistance Response to Natural Disasters in Mozambique

Target Population: 356,500 victims of drought and floods

Target Geographic Areas: Seven central and southern provinces - Zambezia, Tete, Manica, Sofala, Inhambane, Gaza and Maputo

Duration of response: February - April 2009

Food pipeline shortfalls: 10,840 metric tons

Funding shortfalls: US$ 8.4 million (PRRO 10600.0)

1. Synopsis

The Mozambique Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) Food Security and Nutrition Assessment, conducted in October 2008, determined that 356,500 Mozambicans are in a state of acute food insecurity and in need of immediate food assistance as a result of rising food prices and extreme weather conditions that wreaked havoc on the country in 2007 and early 2008.

At the request of the Government of Mozambique (GoM), between February and April of 2009 WFP should increase assistance through its ongoing Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO 10600) to reach an additional 106,500 people severely affected by high food prices and drought, raising the total number of relief response beneficiaries to 356,500 people. Food assistance will supplement household reserves and help families cope with elevated food prices during the worst months of the lean season - just before the annual harvest in April/May 2009.

WFP Mozambique is facing severe shortfalls in the relief pipeline and urgently requires additional relief contributions in the amount of US$8.4 million (10,840 tons of cereals and pulses) to meet the needs of 356,500 Mozambicans affected by natural disasters in 2008 until April 2009. Food commodities will be locally purchased in Mozambique and purchases from smallholder farmers' organizations will also be considered when possible.