Niger: Niger Disaster Response Resource Request

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 000086 DEPT FOR AF, AF/EX, AF/RSA, AF/W, AND AF/PDPA DEPT PLS PASS TO USAID/AFR DAKAR FOR OFDA DRL, FFP, AND AF/W ACCRA FOR USAID/WA SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR SENV ECON PREL PGOV US NG SUBJECT: Niger: Niger Disaster Response Resource Request Ref: a) 09 Niamey 0813, b) 09 Niamey 0862, c) 09 Niamey 0948, d) 09 Niamey 0964, e) Niamey 0032 ¶1. (U) This is an action message - see para 13. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: After Embassy Niamey's Disaster Declaration on January 14 (ref d),post requests urgent and serious consideration of increasing response resources for Niger due to imminent food insecurity. The newly released vulnerability assessment indicates alarming levels of food insecurity throughout the country. The GON proposed plan of response is aggressive but insufficient and will challenge the international community to meet the minimal needs proposed. The USG has responded early, but significant additional needs are required. End summary. Background of an Emerging Food Shortage -------------- ¶3. (SBU) This message requests urgent and serious consideration for USG resources to respond to the currently unfolding food security disaster in Niger. A review of reftels from October 09 through the USG mission Declaration of Disaster on January 10 details the evolution of this critical situation. USAID's Famine Early Warning System (FEWS-NET) reported on January 4 that in Niger, major food and non-food assistance is needed urgently to improve the food security in affected cropping areas until the next harvest in September 2010. Results of Household Food Security Vulnerability Survey -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The GON released the results of the National Household Food Security Vulnerability Assessment to a donors group on January 25 and the NGOs on January 26. Summaries have already appeared on the wire services and have been reported on the BBC and Radio France International. The assessment depicts a very bleak assessment of the national food security situation as of mid-December: -- 66% of households reported a bad harvest; -- The average food availability in the households in Niger is 2.8 months versus 5.4 months last year; -- 400,300 households or 2.7 million people have less than 10 days' stock of food. 20% of the population is therefore in a state of severe food insecurity; -- 5,100,000 or 38.2% are declared moderately food insecure; -- Only 9.1% of the population is considered food secure as of mid-December; -- There is already a clear reduction in daily food intake by reducing meal size or eliminating meals altogether; -- Of the 24 million MT of dry material needed for forage for 2.7 million pastoralists, only 30% is available; -- The regions with the greatest percent of severely food insecure are Tahoua at 33.9%, Diffa at 32%, and Zinder at 22.3%; and -- With respect to the 36 departments of Niger, severe vulnerability ranges from 62.2% in Abalak to only 11 departments where the extent of severe food insecurity is under 10%. Mission Comment on Food Insecurity Realities -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Considering that the GON has shown every indication of denial, concealment, or minimization of the severity of the food security problem this year, the dissemination of this report is quite a remarkable event. Although the assessment only examined food availability, there is general consensus that the situation is worse than that depicted in the report. Every indication is that the harvest is as bad as or worse than that of 2004, which led to the last crises in 2005. Embassy Niamey Food for Peace Officer estimates that Niger probably is lacking the availability of approximately 1 million metric tons of cereals needed to feed its population an average of 600 grams a day (a little more than a 1 lb., 4 oz.). Migration is accelerating; according to UNICEF partners, malnutrition rates are starting to climb. End mission comment. GON Plan of Response -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The GON Food Security Crises Unit has developed a plan of response. The initial focus of the response is on 3.5 million persons in the zones considered vulnerable. The GON reports $13.26 million and $3.46 million anticipated from the EU and Spain, NIAMEY 00000086 002 OF 002 respectively, for a total of $16.72 million currently available for response. This figure also includes cereal stocks of 105,910 MT. Mission Comment on GON Plan of Response -------------- ¶7. (SBU) It is unclear where this estimate of 3.5 million requiring assistance came from and which zones are declared vulnerable, and, more importantly, which are not considered vulnerable because all zones have identified vulnerable populations. Most of the GON cereal stock was purchased inside of Niger, and hence does not materially increase the national stock or reduce the production deficit. Mission believes that the number requiring material assistance is considerably higher and is closer to the 7 million figure than that of 3.5 million. The 3.5 million in need was the number used last year when the harvest was 2 million MT greater than this year. End comment. GON Cash for Work Projects -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The GON response is built around an approach of large-scale cash for work projects to reach 30% of the vulnerable households budgeted at $33.77 million; the replenishment and creation of 1,903 cereal banks to provide millet at a below-market price at a budgeted cost of $63 million; and the sale of subsidized grain, food for crop production, seed distribution, reconstitution of the national stock, procurement of fodder, and nutritional support for malnourished children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and other malnourished persons. The total cost for all proposed interventions is estimated to be $226 million, of which $165 million needs to resourced. USG Response to Date -------------- ¶9. (SBU) To date, the USG has responded early and appropriately. FFP has signed a transfer agreement with WFP for $12 million for 9,240 MT of mixed commodities to help meet the needs of 1.9 million food insecure beneficiaries and allocated $3m for similar commodities for partner NGOs. OFDA has committed $4.9 million to disaster risk reduction activities in Niger. Mission Comment on GON Assistance Requests -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Post believes that the GON Plan of Response represents the GON's Declaration of Emergency and request for international assistance. This is reflected in the actions and words of GON officials from the Prime Minister on down. Post believes the GON request to be extremely modest in face of the problem that is outlined in the Vulnerability Assessment, reporting from FEWS-NET, and our own and partner observations of the situation. Niger is facing a crisis equal to or worse than that of 2004-2005; specifically, if one were to estimate a current cereal production deficit of one million MT from the national cereal requirement, this would represent a loss to producers of an estimated $450 million, with a significantly higher import cost. ¶11. (SBU) The buying power of half the Nigerian population is markedly less at present, with wages between $1.00 and $2.00 per day for those who can find work at all. There are considerable unknowns involved, but it is clear that the people of Niger need a response far in excess of that proposed and the current plan of the collective international community to respond. WFP locally is considering the possibility of adding another 710,000 beneficiaries to the existing Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) for nutrition and general population support. This would add another 30,000 MT to the PRRO, which is not yet fully subscribed. Even this is small given the evident need. ¶12. (SBU) Embassy Niamey does not intend to suggest targets for OFDA and FFP. In response to the Ambassador's January 15 disaster declaration, post hopes that OFDA can release Disaster Response funds to address significant needs that are emanating from widespread food insecurity in a situation that is possibly one of the worst in the last 38 years. Likewise, we need to alert FFP that planning for this response needs to immediate and bold. We urge this in order to save lives and avoid a far more expensive response later in the year that could require the presence of a DART and airlift. End mission comment. ¶13. (SBU) Action requested: Embassy Niamey requests that USAID continue to keep mission advised of issues and concerns as well the evolving plan to respond. ¶14. (U) Thank you for assistance. WHITAKER