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WFP Mozambique Country Brief, July 2020

Countries
Mozambique
Sources
WFP
Publication date

In Numbers

364,988 people assisted in July 2020

2,721.6 mt of food assistance distributed

US$ 1,356,153 cash-based transfers made

US$125 m six months (August 2020-January 2021) net funding requirements, representing 22 % of total

Operational Updates

• In July, WFP provided food assistance to 194,875 conflictaffected internally displaced persons (IDP) in Cabo Delgado (113% of planned beneficiaries) and 6,591 in Nampula, in collaboration with local authorities and humanitarian partners. Additionally, WFP provided food assistance to 78,455 vulnerable persons in Sofala, 19,680 in Manica, 19,625 in Inhamambe, and 37,370 in Gaza.

• In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, WFP Mozambique is finalising a comprehensive strategy to address the secondary shock of COVID-19 to the food security and nutrition of vulnerable populations across the country.
Challenges

• Despite access challenges due to insecurity in Cabo Delgado Province, and WFP food and property being lost in attacks in Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia Districts on 11 June and 27 June respectively, WFP continues to strive towards reaching all conflict-affected IDPs in Mozambique. As such, WFP Mozambique is finalising an access strategy to reach IDPs in currently inaccessible districts.

• COVID-19 is compounding the already fragile humanitarian context in Mozambique. In view of the upcoming 2020/2021 lean season, when most vulnerable households will be at risk of food insecurity, WFP’s overall funding requirements stand at USD 125 million for the next six months. WFP already anticipates pipeline breaks for its humanitarian operations in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa in October 2020 if sufficient resources are not mobilized on time. As of August, WFP aims at assisting 245,000 people in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa. Donor contributions are therefore urgently required to fill these critical resourcing gaps for a timely humanitarian response.

Social Protection

• In July, WFP continued supporting national institutions in using social protection systems and programmes to respond to natural shocks and seasonal food insecurity, thus contributing to bridging the humanitarian-development nexus and supporting long-term resilience building.

• WFP, along with UNICEF, continued supporting the Government in the design and implementation of the response to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19, using national social protection programmes in Moatize and Zobue districts of Tete Province, and now also in Quelimane district of Zambezia Province. This assistance is aligned with the Government provision of unconditional cash transfers of 1500MZN for six months to families that are suffering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• In close coordination with INAS (Instituto Nacional de Acção Social), the World Bank and UNICEF, WFP is also supporting the design and implementation of the post-cyclone-Idai social protection recovery strategy in Sofala Province.