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Reminder: gFSC Global Partner Meeting, 7 and 8 May 2014

Please do not forget to sign-up for the next Global Partner Meeting by writing to Vanessa Bonsignore, vanessavita.bonsignore@wfp.org

We would also like to remind partners to confirm their participation in the Working Group Face-to-Face Meetings on 6 May at FAO, scheduled as follows:

  • Programme Quality Working Group - 9:00-12:00
  • Food Security and Urban Livelihoods Working Group - 14:00-17:00
  • Cash & Voucher Working Group - 12:00-14:00

For more information on the meeting, please visit the Food Security Cluster website.

Reminder: Next Cluster Coordinator Training in Bangkok, Thailand 8-12 June

The global Food Security Cluster is seeking expressions of interest to attend the next Cluster Coordinator Training that will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 8 until 12 June 2014.

If you are interested in applying for this training, please submit your curriculum vitae as well as the completed attached application form to Emma Fitzpatrick: emma.fitzpatrick@wfp.org by 22 April 2014

Accepted candidates will be notified by 30 April at the latest. For more information regarding background to the training and key qualifications and competencies, please visit this link.

Central African Republic

  • FAO continues the preparation of the Agricultural Campaign, which started on 18 April with the first distribution in Bossangoa and Bouar. A map displaying information on the joint seed and food distribution activities is going to be prepared, showing the combined intervention by FAO, WFP and the NGO partners.
  • The FSC has organised a joint field visit to the site of Ngoulekpa for the assessment of the site for the relocation of the families involved in vegetable production that are currently at or around Bangui airport.The Ministry of Rural Development, ACTED, World Hunger Aid, FAO and the Federation of the Vegetable Producers of Bangui participated. An ad hoc working group to follow up on this project and work on a plan of action has been created.
  • In March, WFP has assisted 171,721 beneficiaries with 1,401mt of food.  WFP and UNICEF are working at the technical level to articulate better their work in the field of moderate and acute malnutrition interventions. WFP continues systematic malnutrition prevention, through fortified blended food inclusion,  within its General Food Distribution scheme.
  • The IPC exercise has started, WFP, FAO and partners are organising the data collection process. The IPC training will take place from 18 April and the analysis workshop is scheduled for 23-25 April.

Democratic Republic of Congo

  • In the DRC, the IPC is considered a consensual reference tool, being able to describe the nature and severity of crises, and to set priorities for the humanitarian community's interventions. IPC Report for DRC (March 2014)
  • WFP & FAO: DRC Food Security Bulletin (January-March 2014) provides a summary of food security issues in the DRC for the first three monts in 2014.
  • Food insecurity survey: displacement sites in North Kivu - March 2014 (data collected from 02 February to 3 March 2014). The survey highlights that Northern Kivu is characterized by limited resources and an increase in the number of newly displaced people. Within this context, the food security cluster in collaboration and coordination with the humanitarian community in North Kivu have decided to rationalize food aid targeting former displaced households on the basis of their vulnerability to food insecurity and not solely on the basis of their status.

Pakistan

  • Tharparkar Drought 2014: In collective response by partners, WFP provided cash to 1,000 families, FAO provided 10,000 PPR vaccines to Sindh Livestock Department and 2,500 families were supported with food rations by other humanitarian organizations.
  • Complex Emergency KP/FATA: FSC members are supporting with general food distributions and assisted 160,500 displaced families (in camp, off camp  and returnees) in KP and  FATA to restore their food security. 29,500 families were assisted through cash for work, conditional cash grants, agriculture inputs, veterinary support, capacity building and  homesteading gardening to support their livelihoods.
  • The Detailed Food Security Assessment (DFSA) for KP/FATA was conducted by the Food Security Cluster in areas affected by complex emergency covering in-camp and off-camp IDPs, host communities and returned population. Initial findings of DFSA indicated that livelihoods of IDP families have been disrupted badly with least opportunities in displacement areas.
  • IPC: With the ownership and collaboration of both federal and provincial government, IPC global partners and other relevant stakeholders, need based IPC analysis were carried out at provincial level covering the food security situation from October 2013 to April 2014.
  • Find out more in the latest Pakistan Food Security Newsletter.

South Sudan

  • The FSL response to the IDPs in Warrap state is progressing, including distribution of food, seeds, tools, fishing gear, and conditional and unconditional cash transfers.
  • Working with national authorities, the cluster conducted Food Security Monitoring System (FSMS) surveys in the seven states where there are no active hostilities. A preliminary analysis has been completed and shared with partners. Emergency Food Security Assessments (EFSAs) have been conducted in 20 locations within Jonglei, Upper Nile, and Unity states. Preliminary results from the EFSA was presented to FSL Cluster partners on April 17th.
  • An EMMA was conducted in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and the Abyei Administrative Area. Preliminary results were shared with the FSL Cluster on April 17th.
  • The IPC workshop is scheduled to take place from the 23rd to the 30th of April and the IPC map is expected to be produced by the first week of May.

Cross-Cutting Issues and Programme Quality

  • Irin News article on Accountability to Affected Populations: Scaling up accountability to communities.
  • Findings and other related studies of the ALNAP Annual Meeting Engagement of Crisis-Affected People in Humanitarian Action
  • Visit mVAM blog to find out how WFP's pilot project collects food security data through mobile phone surveys in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • FAO Regional Workshop and Training of Trainers - Sahel (9-14 June 2014) Workshop on "Integrating nutrition programs and food security in emergencies and for strengthening resilience" aims to strengthen the capacity of humanitarian professionals to better integrate nutrition and food security all along the project cycle.
  • Wageningen University: Course on Food Security in an Urbanizing Environment, 2 to 13 June 2014. For more information, please visit this link.
  • Harvard University Course on Urban Humanitarian Emergencies, July 16 - 18, 2014. For more information, please visit this link.
  • Achieving Strategic Change in Fragile Settings, organized by he Barcelona International Peace Resource Center jointly with CDA, 16-19 June 2014,  is a 4-day intensive course that combines lessons learned and practical tools from two of CDA's collaborative learning programs: Do No Harm (DNH) and Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP).
  • Reporting on Humanitarian Crises: A Manual for Trainers & Journalists and an Introduction for Humanitarian Workers presents a combination of standard, professional reporting techniques for journalists covering humanitarian response scenarios, plus a basic education in and understanding of the humanitarian sector, its architecture, mandates and modus operandi.

Vacancy Announcementes

1. FAO: Agronomist consultant, Gaziantep (Turkey - Syrian border):

FAO is urgently looking for a consultant agronomist (P4 level equivalent)  for Gaziantep (Turkey - Syrian border) to support NGOs partners operating cross-border (better orient their agricultural livelihoods assistance and strengthen the technical quality of their interventions) and  initiate the establishment of an FAO operational capacity for cross-border interventions in Syria, in close collaboration with the Food Security and Livelihood Sector Working Group (FSLWG) co-coordinator.

Duration: 3 months (with possibility of extension depending on funds availability and individual performance).

Should you be interested, kindly reply directly to Federica Damiani (Federica.damiani@fao.org) by 22 April 2014.

2. FAO: Operations Officer (P-3), Office for West Bank and Gaza Strip

The Operations Officer will provide support in the analysis, development and implementation of operational activities of emergency and rehabilitation projects in the duty station. For more information and to apply by 18 April, please see this link.

3. FAO: Food Security Officer (P-4), Somalia

The Food Security Officer will have the overall responsibility for food security and capacity building activities of the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit projects in the field. For more information and to apply by 21 April, please see this link.

4. FAO: Operations Officer (P-3), Juba, South Sudan

The Operations Officer will provide support in the analysis, development and implementation of operational activities of emergency, rehabilitation and long-term development projects in the duty station. For more information and to apply by 2 May, please see this link

5. FAO: Operations Officer (P-2), Juba, South Sudan

The Operations Officer will provide support in the analysis, development and implementation of operational activities of emergency, rehabilitation and long-term development projects in the duty station. For more information and to apply by 2 May, please see this link.

6. FAO: Liaison and Operations Officer (P-4), Juba, South Sudan

The incumbent will provide support in the analysis, development and implementation of operational activities of emergency, rehabilitation and long-term development projects in the duty station. For more information and to apply by 2 May, please see this link.