LOC15:48
12:48 GMT
GENEVA, May 17 (KUNA) - - The World Food Programme WFP warned Friday that
one household in 5 in the northern Malian regions of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal
faces extreme food shortages.
"With the start of the pre-harvest 'lean season' (April), household food
stocks are expected to dwindle and food prices to rise - making food
assistance a top priority in Mali and across the Sahel," the Senior Public
Information Officer of the WFP Elisabeth Byers said in a press briefing.
"The emergency operation faces a shortfall of USD74.8 million, equivalent
to 54 percent of the total project requirements. Due to the funding gaps,
serious pipeline breaks in all commodities are expected from August/September
2013 onwards."
Bayers revealed that the WFP's priorities in Mali are to scale-up emergency
assistance in northern Mali while ensuring at the same time adequate
implementation of programmes addressing longer term needs in areas still
recovering from last year's drought.
"Humanitarian access in Northern Mali remains unpredictable and is assessed
on a daily basis by the UN and NGO partners. Security is tight in the
northern towns of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal - WFP has deployed three staff
members to Timbuktu and one to Gao as part of a gradual scale-up of the
offices," she added.
According to the WFP, the food assistance continues to be the most
important and often sole source of livelihood for beneficiaries.
"Basic commodities are limited due to reduced movement of goods. Many
markets are partially functioning and liquidity remains a problem," Bayers
said.
WFP is transporting food using a cross-border operation from Niger as a
complement to transporting food to the North from within Mali.
In March, the WFP emergency food assistance was provided to more than 278,
000 people in the whole country, of whom more than 125,700 conflict-affected
people in the North (Timbuktu and Gao, as Kidal was not accessible in March)
and more than 152,300 internally displaced people and host households in the
South. Emergency school feeding is underway in 128 schools in Gao for 28,100
school children.
Deliveries of food commodities used in emergency school feeding activities
are ongoing for 76 schools in Timbuktu and will be scaled up in the weeks
ahead. In southern Mali, WFP is assisting 113,000 children in 568 schools,
including some schools hosting IDPs children.
"Supplementary feeding is underway in the North with distributions to
children from 6-59 months and pregnant women and nursing mothers in Timbuktu
region. Thus far, 21,000 children and 4,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers
have been reached. (Overall, WFP plans to reach 90,500 children 6-59 months
and 25,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers in northern Mali.)," added the
WFP Spokesperson.
With the beginning of the lean season, the critical period where household
stocks are most at risk of exhaustion, WFP continues to scale-up its
assistance. WFP is currently planning to assist 517,500 beneficiaries in May.
While deliveries are being completed in Timbuktu and Gao, distributions
have started in the IDP-hosting areas of Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, Segou,
Mopti and Bamako. Distributions of two-month rations are ongoing for 34,500
beneficiaries in Kidal region.
The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) now flies to four
domestic destinations from Bamako (Mopti, Kayes, Gao and Timbuktu), and one
international destination (Niamey, Niger). Other civilian aircrafts have not
been allowed to fly over northern Mali since end February 2013. (end)
ta.ibi
KUNA 171548 May 13NNNN