Tropical Cyclone Haruna made landfall over the south-west coast of Madagascar on 22 Feb 2013 as a powerful category 2 cyclone. Before hitting Madagascar, Haruna vacillated for seven days in the Mozambique Channel, bringing above-normal rainfall to the western coast of Madagascar. More than 230% of normal rainfall was recorded between 10-20 Feb over the districts of Morombe and Taolagnaro. As of 7 Mar, the cyclone had caused 26 deaths and affected over 40,000 people; around 2,000 people were still displaced. (UNCT, 7 Mar 2013) By the beginning of April, flood waters had receded, temporary shelters had been closed and displaced families had returned to their homes (IFRC, 30 Apr 2013).
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
•Average production prospects for 2014 rice crop
•Sharp drop in 2013 rice production compared to the above average harvest of the previous year
•Rice prices strengthen in January 2014 and remain above levels of 2013
•Lower domestic supplies, higher rice prices and climatic shocks combined to deteriorate food security conditions
Period covered by this Final Report: 28 February to 31 August, 2013.
Summary: CHF 298,747 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 28 February 2013 to support the National Society in delivering assistance to some 10,000 beneficiaries (2,000 vulnerable households) affected by the Tropical cyclone Haruna.
Madagascar est sujet à des multiples risques incluant les désastres naturels (inondations, cyclones et sécheresse), les épidémies (paludisme, Fièvre de la Vallée du Rift et peste bubonique), l'insécurité alimentaire structurelle et les invasions acridiennes et des rats qui sont combinés à un niveau de pauvreté élevé et une instabilité économique et politique.
• 1,5 millions d’élèves sont hors de l’école dans les classes primaires, dont 600.000 depuis la crise politique.
• 59 centres de santé restent toujours fermés.
￼• La production nationale de riz a diminué de 21% par rapport à celle de 2011- 2012. Le prix du riz a augmenté de 12% juste après la période de récolte du mois d’avril 2013
• 27,5% de la population en milieu rural se trouvent dans une situation d’insécurité alimentaire, dont 2,7% en situation d’insécurité alimentaire sévère.
Snapshot 12 – 19 November
Snapshot 5 – 12 November
In Syria, the opposition agreed to participate in international peace talks in Geneva under the condition that President al-Assad is excluded from any transitional government, which constitutes a major obstacle to the initiation of the process as the Government stated it will not enter discussion if this demand is upheld. The peace dialogue has been repeatedly postponed and will not go ahead as planned in November. To date, the overall number of Syrian refugees is over 2.2 million and the number of people in need in the country stands at 9.3 million.
The food security situation in most of Southern Africa was relatively stable during the past year, although some parts of the region faced acute food insecurity.
As of July 2013, an estimated 10.4 million people in the region were at risk of food insecurity.
In FY 2013, USAID provided more than $75 million in humanitarian assistance to Southern Africa.
(Pretoria, 08 November 2013): A groundbreaking study into the threats likely to confront southern African communities over the next decade has been released. Titled Humanitarian Trends in Southern Africa: Challenges and Opportunities, the study identifies regional and global factors that may impact the lives and livelihoods of southern Africans and, as importantly, the available capacities to address these challenges.
Snapshot 29 October – 5 November
In Syria, the opposition remains divided over their participation to proposed peace talks in Geneva, with a decision being expected by 9 November. In Damascus, the Government repeated that it will not enter discussions if President al-Assad is forced to resign. While the overall number of Syrian refugees went over 2.2 million, revised estimates indicated that the number of people in need in Syria has increased from 6.8 million in April to 9.3 million in late October. An estimated 6.5 million are internally displaced.
Multiple shocks cause major crop production losses, elevating food insecurity
Malagasy migratory locusts have expanded beyond their endemic areas in the southwestern quadrant of Madagascar to affect over two-thirds of the country. Recent estimates indicate that resulting rice crop losses ranged from 10 to 40 percent in affected areas.
The island of Madagascar is prone to multiple hazards, including natural disasters (floods, cyclones and drought), epidemic outbreaks (malaria, rift valley fever and bubonic plague), structural food insecurity and pest/locust infestations, which are compounded by a high level of poverty and economic and political instability
Snapshot 08 – 15 October
In Syria, heavy fighting is ongoing in Rural Damascus, Dar’a, Aleppo, Idleb and Homs, with government forces making gains in Rural Damascus while the opposition has won ground in Dar’a. Despite the call of al-Qaeda’s leader for opposition fighters to unite, inter-group fighting has escalated in Aleppo over control for neighbourhoods. Meanwhile, the Syrian National Council announced that it did not intend to participate in the proposed Geneva II peace talks.
• Madagascar’s 2013 rice output is estimated at 3.6 million tonnes (paddy), about 21 percent below the above-average level of 2012. Maize and cassava production are also estimated to have declined compared to the previous season, by 15 and 14 percent respectively.
• The country is estimated to have a rice deficit of about 240 000 tonnes (milled equivalent) for the 2013/14 marketing year (April/March), while approximately 48 000 tonnes of imported maize would be required to satisfy the national deficit.
ROME - Quatre millions d'habitants des zones rurales de Madagascar sont en situation d'insécurité alimentaire suite à la récolte réduite de cette année. La production de riz - l'aliment de base de cette île de l'Océan indien - et de maïs a souffert de conditions météorologiques capricieuses et d'une invasion de criquets. L'insécurité alimentaire risque de toucher 9,6 millions d'autres personnes, selon les deux organisations des Nations Unies.
SARODRANO, 9 October 2013 (IRIN) - The fortunes of fisherman Melau Feaucre Johanison, 39, were sunk when Cyclone Haruna struck Madagascar earlier this year. He expects to recover financially from its impact only over the next few years - barring any other shocks to his livelihood.
Even before the category two cyclone struck, Johanison, from Sarodrano along the bay of St Augustin, on the nation’s west coast, was struggling to get by.
9 October 2013, Rome - As many as 4 million people in rural areas of Madagascar are food insecure following this year's reduced harvest. Production of rice – the Indian Ocean island's staple – and maize has been badly hit by erratic weather and a locust invasion. A further 9.6 million people are at risk of food insecurity, say two United Nations agencies.
La production du riz à Madagascar est estimée à 3,6 millions de tonnes (riz usiné) en 2013, ce qui constitue environ 21 pour cent de moins du niveau de production de l’année 2012. La production de maïs et de manioc a également diminué par rapport à la saison précédente, de 15 et 14 pour cent respectivement.
Period covered by this update: 28 February to 30 July 2013.
Summary: CHF 298,747 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 28 February 2013 to support the National Society in delivering assistance to some 10,000 beneficiaries (2000 vulnerable households) affected by the Tropical cyclone Haruna.
The DREF operation has enabled the Malagasy RC (MRCS) to respond to the emergency needs of 2000 families, affected by the disaster, through the distribution of shelter and non-food items, potable water and health and hygiene promotion activities.