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WFP Emergency Report No. 50 of 2002

Countries
Afghanistan
+ 22 more
Sources
WFP
Publication date


This report includes:
A) West Africa: (1) Cote d'Ivoire

B) East and Central Africa: (1) Ethiopia, (2) Eritrea, (3) Rwanda, (4) Tanzania, (5) Burundi, (6) Uganda, (7) Central African Republic

C) Asia Region: (1) DPRK, (2) Indonesia

D) West and Central Asia Region: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan

E) Southern Africa: (1) Regional Highlight, (2) Lesotho, (3) Malawi, (4) Mozambique, (5) Swaziland, (6) Zambia, (7) Zimbabwe, (8) Angola

F) Latin America: (1) Colombia, (2) Cuba, (3) Ecuador

G) Eastern Europe Region: (1) Albania

From Francesco Strippoli, Director of the Office of Humanitarian Affairs; 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 Africa: (1) Cote d'Ivoire

1) Cote d'Ivoire

(a) Heavy fighting caused thousands of people to cross the Liberian border this week. As of 10 December, an estimated number of 32,000 people have fled to Liberia in the past 10 days through 12 border points. 22,000 are reported to be Liberians and 10,000 from Cote d'Ivoire. Another 4,000 people have been reported to flee Cote d'Ivoire for Guinea.

(b) The Ivorian Government forces continued to attempt to recapture the four western towns of Danane, Toulepleu, Man, and Touba that were captured by two new groups of insurgents last week. Government forces have retaken the city of Man, but the area remains highly unstable.

(c) WFP and UNHCR are preparing a mission next week to reassess the number and prepare for the regular December food distribution. The refugees and returnees that crossed the Liberian border in the west are reported to be of satisfactory health, despite being exhausted after several days of walking. WFP and other humanitarian organisations in Liberia are currently assisting them.

(d) In Yamoussoukro, a significant increase of IDPs from the western region - Man, Daloa and Doukué - has been registered during the week. New arrivals have been registered and assisted in the Mie N'Gou transit centre. From receiving and registering about 150 people a day, the last week has seen between 240 and 390 arrivals daily. Most of the IDPs are either transported to different coastal regions or settled with host families in and around the town. Only a small percentage of the newly arriving IDPs are being registered, as the great majority are directly hosted by relatives and friends. The IDPs are currently assisted with registration, basic needs and onward transportation by the coordinated effort of WFP, local government, Red Cross, and implementing partners (IPs).

(e) The NGO Merlin reports that IDPs are fleeing from the fighting zone all along the axe Daloa to Duekoué (west). The area is currently holding more than 15,000 IDPs, in at least five different transit centres. The IDPs are mostly children, women and elderly, and some of them are wounded with gunshots. Local families are not willing to host all of them, due to shortage of food resources and shelter. WFP plans to carry out an evaluation mission starting as of Thursday 12 December, and food deliveries are scheduled to take place at the end of the week.

(f) Between 3 and 9 December, 236 tons of food has been distributed by WFP and IPs through general distribution to about 29,000 families in Bouaké area. In addition to the general distribution, 22 tons of rice and 2 tons of tinned fish have been delivered to the Monastery in Bouaké, 3 weeks supply for 5,500 beneficiaries, and 6 tons of rice and 3 tons of tinned fish to St. Camille (amounting to 30,000 daily rations). St. Camille is preparing hot meals at six different sites. The kitchens are now reported to be feeding some 50,000 people.

(g) When the general distribution is over in Bouaké next week, WFP and partners will assess the food security in the surrounding villages as well as discussing how to reach the most vulnerable persons in the town.

(h) WFP is planning a second mission to Korhogo area on 13 December. The purpose of the mission is to assess the requirements for setting up a sub-office there to oversee the emergency operations in the north. The mission will furthermore conduct sensitization regarding who are going to be targeted within the WFP emergency programmes.

(i) A one-year pilot proposal to "deworm" school children was approved this week. A planned caseload of 40,000 children in 170 public schools will benefit from this project.

(j) The in-country stocks are sufficient for the planned distributions up to February, except for pulses. Local procurement is almost completed for the quantities released in the system. Additional 2,590 tons of various commodities will be purchased locally.

B) East and Central Africa: (1) Ethiopia, (2) Eritrea, (3) Rwanda, (4) Tanzania, (5) Burundi, (6) Uganda, (7) Central African Republic

1) Ethiopia

(a) The joint Government of Ethiopia/UN "Emergency Assistance Requirements and Implementation Options for 2003" appeal was launched on 7 December 2002. The appeal documents the major humanitarian crisis facing Ethiopia as a consequence of widespread and serious drought. Using findings of the teams who recently conducted assessments throughout the country, 11.3 million people have been identified as needing more than 1.4 million tons of food assistance in 2003 (1.3 million tons of cereals, 124,400 tons of blended food and 4,140 tons of vegetable oil); an additional 3 million people will need to be closely monitored. In total, 14.3 million people are affected by the drought, some 20 percent of the total population.

(b) The year 2002 was characterized by one of the worst droughts in recent years. The poor performance of the short rains (belg) and absence of rain in many lowland areas of the country in April and May significantly affected planting and early growth of the long-cycle crops of maize and sorghum, which account for 40 percent of national cereal production. Poor short rains and associated agricultural performance was then compounded by the delay of the main rains (kiremt) of between 1 - 1.5 months, which magnified the effects of the drought earlier in the year. As rains did not continue past their normal cessation date, some areas had a growing season of less than one month.

(c) Pastoral areas are also affected, especially Afar Region and Shinile zone in Somali Region, which experienced the lowest rainfall for five years for both rainy seasons. As a result, many traditional hand-dug wells, temporary rivers and ponds have dried up, leading to water shortages for both the human and livestock population, and shortage of pasture. Mid-2002 livestock mortality was therefore high and remaining herds were left in poor physical condition. Water tankering will continue in Afar Region and Shinile zone and has been initiated in the lowlands of West Hararghe as well.

(d) In addition to food aid requirements, the appeal includes needs of other principal sectors including water, health, agriculture and livestock, and stresses the importance of transitional asset protection systems and the need for sustainable solutions to continue to be identified, resourced and implemented. Food and related costs for 2003 total approximately USD 500 million; a further USD 76.2 million of assistance will be required to implement water, health, nutrition, agriculture and capacity building activities

(e) The cereal food aid needs for the first four months of 2003 are 590,000 tonnes (118,000 tonnes for January for 7.3 million people; 132,000 tonnes for February for 8.1 million people; 161,000 tonnes for March for 9.9 million people and 179,000 tonnes for April for 11 million people). While donors have indicated that further pledges will be made in 2003, as of 12 December, only 80,000 tonnes of cereals have been identified from current contributions for allocations for distributions in January and about 50,000 tonnes for distributions later in the year. Most of the original December requirements have been covered, but increased needs in several areas may require further allocations.

(f) Shipments of cereals (for NGOs and WFP) expected through Djibouti in December total 90,000 tons, with a further 55,000 tons of WFP wheat expected by the end of January, and 57,000 tons of cereals for NGOs and ICRC by early February. The European Commission is expecting 20,572 tons of wheat through Berbera port by early January. These arrivals will be used for repayments to the Emergency Food Security Reserve. Current supplies of supplementary blended food in country are extremely low. Loans to NGOs of blended food by the WFP development programme are being arranged from a shipment arriving soon, for total loans of around 2,550 tons. WFP and NGO blended food arrivals in December for emergency operations are around 6,700 tons, in addition to 6,880 tons arriving for development programmes.

(g) Considering the present limited carryover stocks, immediate pledges and shipment are required to avert destitution and famine in Ethiopia in coming months.

2) Eritrea

(a) There are mounting indications that the crop failure in 2002 is already impacting seriously on Eritrea. WFP reports confirm that distress sales of livestock are on the increase, as farmers fear that a shortage of fodder and water in 2003 will lead to their inevitable loss. While livestock prices are falling, cereal and other foodstuff prices are rising at a time of the year when they would normally be expected to fall. Availability of some cereals in the local markets is already constrained. Malnutrition indicators are on the increase, and while there is no nutritional surveillance system in place, there is enough evidence from hospitals and health centres attendance registers to indicate a deteriorating situation, which will require urgent remedial steps.

(b) The Government estimates a cereal shortfall of up to 400,000 tons, which will have to be met through commercial imports or food aid. Government plans to purchase up to 90,000 tons using scarce foreign exchange, but is unable to finance the whole shortfall due to the worsening economic situation of the country. WFP has appealed for about 200,000 tons (140,000 tons for the EMOP and 60,000 tons for the PRRO) in the Consolidated Appeal and has received confirmation of some response. However, much more substantial commitments are urgently needed to address the anticipated need in time. The timely arrival of any assistance is recommended in order to avoid port congestion, particularly in Massawa Port. This should also take into account the limited contingency storage possibilities in the region. Presently, WFP expects pipeline breaks as early as March/April 2002 and requires at least 25,000 - 30,000 tons immediately to avoid a critical break before end of April 2003. There are as yet no commitments to cover from May onwards.

(c) WFP is also stressing the urgent need for non-food responses in the areas of health, water, seeds, tools and fodder for livestock so that the other basic needs are also covered and that the food impact is not reduced or even negated by their absence. Government for its' part is also re-examining current policies and strategies in order to determine what is appropriate to confront the impending emergency which will enable it at the same time to maintain its fundamental commitment to self-reliance and avoid dependency in the long run. WFP has committed itself to support practical capacity-building interventions aimed at addressing emergency needs and appeals for the resources needed to ensure timely delivery of assistance.

(d) The 2003 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Eritrea was launched on November 19, 2002. The focus of the humanitarian assistance will be on mitigating the impact of the drought, which is threatening about 1.4 million people. According to GSE's estimates, 2.3 million Eritreans from displaced, returnee and vulnerable communities affected by war and drought will require food and non-food assistance in 2003. The appeal calls for USD163.4 million, of which, 65.5% is required for food aid. Assistance programmes in non-food sectors including recovery constitute 36% of the total appeal.

(e) During the month of November, 3,351 tons of assorted food, amounting to 74 percent of the planned distribution, was reported to have been distributed by the Government to 229,871 beneficiaries in Anseba, Debub and Gash Barka regions, under the EMOP assisting people affected by conflict. The distribution target was not achieved because of shortage of CSB for the EMOP.

(f) Over the month, WFP allocated about 561 tons of assorted food commodities for the school-feeding programme in Gash Barka, Debub, Northern and Southern Red Sea. Over 34,513 school children will receive cooked meals in school in December 2002.

3) Rwanda

(a) During the month of November WFP distributed food to some 89,300 vulnerable persons in Rwanda. In the three camps in the provinces of Kibuye, Byumba, and Gikongoro, 25,153 refugees were supported, while more than 8,000 beneficiaries from Kigali/KigaliNgali, Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Byumba and Gitarama received a two-month ration in nutrition centres.

(b) The repatriation of Rwandan refugees has accelerated since the last sensitization efforts by the Rwandan Government and UNHCR at camps in the Ngara region of Tanzania. As a result, 1,864 people were received at Rusumo Nyakarambi transit centre in Kibungo during the repatriation week, bringing the total number of returnees in Kibungo to 4,644 for November. Each returnee received a three-month food ration package. WFP is making preparations to respond to the increased repatriation by supplying the Kibungo with sufficient food.

(c) Schools involved in School Feeding activities have seen an increase in enrolment. As a result, additional non-food items are needed in Kigali Ngali and Gitarama. The number of students in Bugesera increased in 50 schools from 38,000 to 45,427 students, an increase of some 20 percent.

(d) Eleven Food for work (FFW) projects, planned for implementation in Kigali Ngali and Gitarama, were approved in November. The projects will include swamp rehabilitation for rice plantations, and will supply portable water to vulnerable families. In Gitarama, projects will involve land terracing and swamp reclamation and potato producing projects. Some 31,420 persons will benefit from the projects, which will be implemented in the most food insecure areas.

(e) A WFP/USAID (FewsNet) Vulnerability Assessment conducted in September and October in the high altitude regions of Kibuye, Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Butare and Gikongoro, concluded that food shortage is likely to occur for most households due to a poor harvest from the last season, a long dry season and delayed rains. WFP has responded by stepping up efforts to implement FFW projects in affected areas, and providing support in particular to school feeding, HIV/AIDS projects and nutrition centres.

4) Tanzania

(a) From 18 of November to 1 of December, WFP distributed about 3,215 tons of food, corresponding to a two-week ration, to over 525,000 refugees in Ngara, Kibondo, Kasulu and Lugufu camps. WFP supplied 100 percent of all items in the standard food ration, expect cereals which were distributed at 72 percent. The cereal distribution had been cut due to pipeline constraints. Unless pledges are urgently confirmed, WFP will run out of cereal by February. WFP continued to support various Supplementary Feeding Programmes (SFPs), benefiting approximately 19,000 malnourished refugees.

(b) During the same period, more than 900 new Burundian refugees were received and registered in camps in Ngara and Kibondo.

(c) Between 18 of November to 1 December, 954 Burundians were repatriated to Muyinga and Kirundo Provinces, and some 2,681 Rwandans voluntarily repatriated in Ngara. A total of 9,182 Rwandans have been assisted to return home from the beginning of this year, while 26,039 Burundian refugees have been assisted to repatriate between March 28 and November 30.

(d) On 18 November, 59 elderly Rwandan refugees from Ngara camps participated in the cross-border visit to Rwanda. Among the 24 women, 7 went with their children. The objective was to have them see the current security situation in Rwanda in an attempt to encourage repatriation.

5) Burundi

(a) Security situation remained unchanged despite the cease-fire accord reached by the Government and one wing of the FDD rebels. Attacks were reported in Kayanza, Muramvya, Bubanza and Cibitoke provinces as well as in Bujumbura Mairie.

(b) A joint WFP/OCHA and Catholic Relief Services rapid assessment was conducted in two communes of Rugazi and Mpanda, of Bubanza province, to assess the urgent needs of the people recently displaced by fighting. Looting and robbery perpetrated during the fighting, seriously impoverished 6,400 households which the assessment teams could reach. Due to the precarious security situation, these households cannot even access their fields to harvest their crops. One assessment mission planned in Mutambu commune, Bujumbura rural province, was not conducted due to insecurity.

(c) During this week, planned distribution in Kayanza province did not take place due to security constraints. However, WFP resumed distribution of 378 tons of food to 45,770 persons living in two communes of Ruyigi province that have been inaccessible to humanitarian workers since last October, due to armed conflict.

(d) Monthly Food Security Assessment missions conducted in all the communes of Kirundo, Muyinga and Ngozi provinces, concluded that prices of foodstuffs were increasing, that the populations had no more food reserves. Media has recently stated an increase of malaria epidemic in Kayanza province. Malaria is one of the diseases that can negatively impact the nutritional situation if it is not properly and quickly addressed. The assessment confirms that malaria and diarrheic diseases were noticed in Ngozi, Kirundo and Muyinga provinces, though not yet at the epidemic level.

(e) The lack of rainfall continues to be a problem in Bugabira commune of Kirundo province and fields are starting to dry out. The same commune was the worst hit by drought in 1999-2000 and people living in that commune relied entirely on WFP food assistance. The situation will be closely monitored.

6) Uganda

(a) WFP relief assistance delivery continues to face pipeline breaks, particularly pressing is the shortage of cereals. WFP delivered under various activities more than 1,000 tons of weekly rations to 122,035 IDPs in camps, abducted/returnee children, extremely vulnerable individuals, children attending school, and mothers and children in supplementary and therapeutic feeding centres in the sub-region. WFP food aid remains the major source of nourishment for the displaced population. WFP still relying on borrowed commodities from in-country sources, Sudan and D.R. Congo under PRRO 10121.0, in order to meet the increased food requirements in the Acholi sub-region.

(b) The security situation in the Acholi sub-region, in the districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, continues to deteriorate. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels continue to assault the civilian population. Kitgum district relatively peaceful over the reporting period, though Pader district remains insecure due to LRA rebel presence. Continuous LRA attacks have rendered Pader inaccessible to UN staff. A WFP food convoy travelling on the Lira-Kitgum road narrowly escaped an ambush.

(c) WFP food needs assessment planned for the districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader that are affected by the prolonged dry season has been put on hold due to insecurity in the sub-region. The displaced population expects to plant the first season crops early March 2003. The food security situation is expected to worsen before the next harvest in June-July 2003 due to the shortages caused by limited access to gardens and limited supply of food items in markets.

7) Central African Republic

(a) The attempted coup d'état of 25 October and the subsequent fighting have severely affected WFP operations in the country. The WFP EMOP 10038, assisting refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo, did received additional refugee beneficiaries, while activities under the EMOP 10094 were suspended due to lack of access, affecting the assistance to 5,000 IDPs. Assistance will be re-activated once the area becomes accessible again.

(b) For the WFP EMOP assisting IDPs in Bangui, some of the planned distributions were postponed for a month, as planned project implementation was modified to respond to the needs of the newly displaced persons. The modified distributions included an immediate response to the displacement of people in the northern neighbourhoods of Bangui, with 44 tons being distributed to 10,000 people, and distributions of 33 tons to 5,000 IDPs on the first 80 km of the Boali road north. Nine tons of WFP food was distributed to IDPs in an extremely difficult situation along the Damara-Sibut road directly north of Bangui. Distributions took place while the area was actually being occupied by the Bemba Congolese troops called in by the President of the Central African Republic.

(c) For EMOP 10038, the number of refugees moving from Bangui to the refugee camp increased due to fighting in Bangui, and also because Congolese nationals were targeted for a certain amount of hostilities from the local population. As a result, some 1,200 Congolese nationals took refuge in the DRC embassy in Bangui. WFP, with the assistance of an implementing partner, provided them with prepared meals. Although most of the Congolese were not officially registered as refugees, the majority were repatriated through the assistance of UNHCR, WFP and implementing partner. WFP provided them with a 5 day pre-packaged dry ration, given to them as they were getting on to the barge to cross the river to Zongo, DRC. This was a model operation, with both WFP and UNHCR carrying out their respective roles in an exemplary manner. The prepared meals at the embassy and the small return packages used a mere 4 tons of food, but greatly reduced the suffering of these people in duress.

(d) Food distributions in the refugee camp continued as planned, except that only 2 of 4 commodities are available. Vegetable oil and salt ran out in July 2002.

C) Asia Region: (1) DPRK, (2) Indonesia

1) DPRK

(a) Without immediate contributions, WFP will be unable to reach nearly 3.2 million vulnerable people with cereal distributions from early next year. During November, almost 3 million nursery, kindergarten, primary and secondary school children, as well as pregnant and nursing women - all on the west coast - did not receive planned WFP food assistance. Even with new contributions, distribution will not be resumed at the forecast level before February, due to a lack of confirmed shipments.

(b) Immediate pledges of 97,000 tons of food are required to meet planned distributions during the first quarter of 2003. Commodities required include over 89,000 tons of cereals, 1,750 tons of Dried Skimmed Milk (DSM) to enable Local Food Production factories to continue to operate, 5,100 tons of Corn Soya Blend for nurseries, kindergartens and pregnant/nursing women and 580 tons of sugar, mainly for nurseries.

(c) Local Food Production stocks of DSM and cereals are running out in all seven biscuit factories. Production of biscuits will cease in January if no shipments of DSM are received. This means that 1.3 million primary school children will lose their daily biscuit snack, and thus the vitamin A and D supplements (from the fortified DSM) and iodine (from the iodized salt). In addition, without new contributions all FFW activities may need to be suspended for the spring season.

(d) Shortages of continuous power continued to hamper threshing of paddy in most provinces. Heating in child institutions is a serious problem. Only one or two rooms per nursery or kindergarten are usually heated. In provinces where fuel wood and coal are scarce, these institutions use a mix of rice husk or maize cones, combined with coal dust, for fuel. Nutritional improvements appear to be at risk as children must stay in very cold rooms and are restricted in movement and play. In west coast nurseries and kindergartens, meals have been reduced to one main daily meal for young children aged six months to six years, due to the halting of cereal distributions in November.

2) Indonesia

(a) During the month of November, WFP provided 1.68 million people with 6,466 tons of food through the Subsidized Rice for Urban Poor (OPSM), the Nutrition Programme for mother and children, and assistance programmes to IDPs.

(b) Implementation of the nutrition projects was adjusted according to the Ramadhan and the following holiday season. NGOs' pondok (feeding centre) activity was reduced while the distribution ration of Delvita nutrition programme increased to allow for households to build some stock.

(c) WFP has finalised the community level poverty mapping for the capital Jakarta. As a result, implementing partners in the OPSM have been instructed to phase out from all heterogeneous areas and only operate in homogeneously poor areas, by latest the end of January 2003.

(d) The food pipeline is expected to break in July 2003. The total shortfall during this period amounts to 32,430 tons. During November, significant contributions were confirmed from the Netherlands (USD 5 million), and Australia (USD 3.4 million).

D) West and Central Asia Region: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan

1) Afghanistan

(a) The security situation was calm in most of the country, although discovery of explosive devices and general criminality were still an ongoing issue in various areas. Restrictions against day missions to Shindand district in Hirat were lifted.

(b) From 4 to 10 of December, WFP distributed 3,223 tons of food to 444,000 vulnerable people through various activities countrywide. The beneficiary caseload included 175,000 urban dwellers who received bread under the bakery project, and 133,000 school children targeted under the Food for education programme. In addition, nearly 67,000 IDPs and refugees received relief and resettlement assistance, and some 62,448 beneficiaries received 2,107 tons of food under FFW and food for asset creation activities. Food distribution continued in Mazari Sharif and Hirat under the Civil Servants Salary Supplement programme.

(c) To date, nearly 52,000 tons of food has been delivered for assistance to 1.3 million vulnerable populations living in rural areas across the country that potentially will become inaccessible during the winter. Another 700 tons of food needs to be delivered, specifically to the Mazari Sharif and Fayz Abad regions.

(d) The Government of the United States confirmed a new contribution of 30,000 tons of wheat worth USD 12.2 million. Following this contribution, the cereal requirements for the first quarter of 2003 is now fully resourced.

2) Pakistan

(a) FAO/WFP food and crop assessment mission has recommended emergency food assistance for at least 280,000 individuals in Balochistan and Sindh, in the districts which have not received rainfall for the past four years, and where people coping mechanisms have been depleted. WFP intends to prepare an emergency food assistance proposal for this caseload upon receiving the request from the Government of Pakistan.

(b) Preparations to continue food distribution in Baluchistan and start in Sindh are underway. A temporary office is being set up in Karachi to facilitate implementation in Sindh.

(c) UNHCR in collaboration with Government and other UN agencies, including WFP, undertook a re-registration exercise of Afghan refugees in all the new camps of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The objective of the exercise is to re-establish the actual population and demographic profile of the Afghan refugees, identifying the extremely vulnerable individuals, and to issue new ration cards to eliminate the possibility of multiple card holding. The same exercise are planned to be conducted in Balochistan Province in January next year.

E) Southern Africa: (1) Regional Highlight, (2) Lesotho, (3) Malawi, (4) Mozambique, (5) Swaziland, (6) Zambia, (7) Zimbabwe, (8) Angola

1) Regional Highlight

(a) At SADC's pre-rainy season forum held 10-12 December, regional meteorologists painted a bleak picture of seasonal rainfall to-date, and predict adverse conditions for the second half of the season. A consensus forecast along these lines will be formally released later this week. WFP is continuing its own monthly monitoring of subequatorial rainfall conditions, in collaboration with colleagues at NASA-GSFC.

(b) WFP is at present closely monitoring, engaging the Country Offices of Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, a number of reported cross-border population movements of Rwandan refugees from camps in Tanzania. According to UNHCR, Tanzania plans to close the camps that had been set up for the Rwandans by 31 December 2002, leading to these initial movements. At present there are 30,000 Rwandans in Tanzanian camps that will be looking for asylum elsewhere, according to UNHCR estimates.

2) Lesotho

(a) In the weekly meeting of the cabinet sub- committee on Famine Relief, the status of planting on the already ploughed land was reviewed. They determined that only close to 50 percent of this land had been planted. District officers complained about the slow delivery of the required seeds and fertilizers. This will obviously have an adverse effect on next year's harvest.

(b) WFP food was distributed to 21,026 households representing 102,624 beneficiaries during this week. 1,051 tons of maize, 105 tons of pulses and 42 tons of vegetable oil were thus distributed.

3) Malawi

(a) The targeted beneficiaries for December under the emergency operation will be 2.3 million. The January target will be scaled up to 2.8 million.

(b) The milling of maize jointly coordinated with the government is expected to start towards the end of this week. Eight mills have been identified in order to mill a total of 40,000 tons

(c) Total receipts of food for last week were 6,944 tons and a total of 4,879 tons was distributed.

4) Mozambique

(a) No rainfall in large parts of the southern and central regions of Mozambique are compromising the planting of seeds that rural farmers had initiated last month. Most seeds may be lost without rainfall the upcoming weeks.

(b) Trains continued to transport food aid from Nacala to Malawi. From 22 November to date a total of 3,902 tons of maize was channelled via the Nacala corridor using the railway. The milling of maize continued in Palmeira and Chibuto. The total cumulative production amounts to 2,180 tons.

5) Swaziland

(a) Over this week, 978 tons of food was dispatched to IPs, consisting of 791 tons of maize, 114 tons of beans and 73 tons of oil.

(b) WFP met with World Vision this week to discuss improved targeting mechanisms. A workshop with WVI and WFP was agreed upon to clarify the targeting criteria.

6) Zambia

(a) In Zambia an anticipated shortfall of 20,000 tons for the month will be covered through an agreement with the Government of Zambia, which will provide approximately 23,000 tons of grain to WFP for distribution. Transport costs for this maize will be covered by a bilateral contribution made by DFID.

(b) WFP is focused on removing the genetically modified food out from the

districts in which it was previously stocked and getting it out of the country. Efforts are being made to ensure a coordinated movement of food in order to ensure the availability of the required storing warehouse space for the replacement maize that is being moved into Zambia.

7) Zimbabwe

(a) With cereal opening stocks of just over 7, 000 tons against the monthly requirements of 40,170 tons WFP has had to cut rations, providing full rations to beneficiaries receiving their first rations this month while previous beneficiaries will receive a half ration of cereals. The low cereal stocks are partly due to delayed government decisions regarding the milling of biotech-derived maize grain in the country.

(b) The rains have started in earnest in most parts of the country, though later than normal and interrupted by dry spells. A nation-wide shortage of fuel deepened over the past week, with queues snaking for up to two km at stations with supply.

8) Angola

(a) Despite two new donor contributions, WFP Angola is still facing shortages in the key commodity, maize, from February. By March 2003, the cereal pipeline will break affecting food aid distribution around the country without further urgent donor contributions. Pipeline breaks for other commodities are expected from April. The two WFP special transport operations upon which the Angolan humanitarian community relies, are also seriously threatened by a lack of resources.

(b) Heavy rains are hampering deliveries of food aid by air to several dirt airstrips including Mavinga and Cuemba. WFP has commenced, with the assistance of SWEDRELIEF/SRSA, emergency repairs to the Mavinga airstrip.

(c) In Huambo, a mine incident and discovery of other mines along main roads have forced suspension of food distribution to 50,000 people. Four damaged bridges are putting distribution in jeopardy to another 100,000 people. All Family Reception Areas served by Huambo are either not accessible (Sambo) or with severe obstacles slowing down and endangering access (Chiteta, Menga, Lunge).

(d) The mine incident between Cujamba and Mavinga last week resulted in closure of several roads in Kuando Kubango. Access to about 10,000 beneficiaries has been cut off.

(e) In Bié province, a truck returning after delivering a cargo of non-food items in Kuito hit an anti-tank mine on 7 December, between Kuito and Huambo. The driver regrettably died on the spot. The road has been closed for use by UN personnel. This is affecting distributions to beneficiaries in the Katchiungo area and a safe solution to access these people is urgently being sought.

(f) In Kuanza Sul province, a mine incident involving a private vehicle lead to the closure road from Sumbe-Seles-Ambuiva for UN personnel, pending a full investigation. A Rapid Assessment in Pambangala commune showed that the situation of the population is considered critical and an urgent food intervention is required. During the week, a joint team of WFP, MINARS and Movimondo began registrations but a distribution partner has not yet been found.

F) Latin America: (1) Colombia, (2) Cuba, (3) Ecuador

1) Colombia

(a) During the last week, WFP delivered 178 tons of food to FFW activities and Community Kitchen projects throughout the country.

(b) Food was reportedly stolen from WFP delivery trucks, clearly marked with UN/WFP flags, at roadblocks set up as a response to confrontations between armed groups in the provinces of Choco and Antioquia.

2) Cuba

(a) WFP plans to start distribution of food in January under the newly approved EMOP 10239.

(b) Food has been purchased locally and is currently transported to the 8 most affected municipalities in Pinar del Rio province, and Isla de la Juventud. Distributions will consist of a daily ration of 23 gr. of vegetable oil, 320 gr. of rice and 60 gr. of beans

(c) According to the Government, these areas are still reconstructing homes and clearing the damages caused by the hurricanes Isidore and Lili. Progress has been made in rebuilding houses and restoring the power supply. Yet, the overall recovery process has been slow due to the lack of resources.

3) Ecuador

(a) WFP, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and Municipalities of the province of Pichincha, is currently providing 2,240 food rations to families affected by the latest El Reventador activities. The affected families are supported through FFW schemes, aimed at rehabilitate crop and pasture, and cleaning irrigation canals.

(b) According to the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School, the seismic activities of the El Reventador volcano is currently low.

(c) The seismic activity of the Tungurahua Volcano is continually rising. On 7 December, a vapor and gas column reached approximately 1 km of altitude above the volcano's summit. On 8 December 83 phenomena of long duration and 7 vapor and gas associated tremors had been accounted for.

G) Eastern Europe Region: (1) Albania

1) Albania

(a) Over the month of November, 3,720 families were supported under the communal forestry and pastures management component. WFP also assisted 960 women who participated in the Social Service Assistance Programme, and 1,200 workers engaged in FFW schemes, with family rations. Some 250 tons of wheat flour, vegetable oil, pulses and salt, were distributed under these programmes.

(b) Five FFW schemes in Kukes, two in Lushnja, and three in Shkoder prefecture, implemented in collaboration with implementing partners, have been completed. The remaining two schemes are expected to be completed by the end of December. Implementing Partners have submitted proposals to WFP for new schemes during the first quarter of 2003.

(c) A WFP assessment mission conducted in November indicated that poverty alleviation remains the main area of concern for the mountainous region of Albania, where people have limited access to food and income opportunities.

(d) To date, the PRRO has secured contributions representing about 40 percent of the required resources. Donor contributions are urgently required to ensure continued food distributions to vulnerable people.

Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons.

(End WFP Emergency Report No 50).