The global Food Security Cluster (FSC) is seeking expressions of interest to attend the next Cluster Coordinator Training that will be held in Rome, Italy 18-22 August 2014.

To ensure that food security cluster coordinators have a thorough understanding of the roles and responsibilities of  food security clusters and coordinators, in particular in response to an IASC Level 3 emergency, the global Food Security Cluster has developed a learning process for FSC Coordinators. This new process involves both pre-workshop exercises followed by 4 and half days of workshops and simulation training.

The next training is scheduled to take place 18-22 August in Rome, Italy.

The gFSC will provide accommodation and meals from the evening of the 18 August until lunch on the 22 August. The selected participants are requested to cover all other related costs for their participation (travel, any extra days accommodation and meals etc).

If you are interested in applying for this training, please submit your curriculum vitae as well as the completed application form (available at FSC website) to Vanessa Bonsignore: vanessavita.bonsignore@wfp.org by 18 July 2014.

Candidates will be notified during the week of 21-25 July at the latest if they have been accepted for this training.

• Find all relevant FSC documents in one place - the FSC website has a new section for Food Security Cluster Briefing Package
• Launch of new online interactive advocacy campaign - Saving Lives Today and Tomorrow - The OCHA Campaign focuses on Managing the Risk of  Humanitarian Crises, with the aim of encouraging a  paradigm shift towards a more preventative and  anticipatory approach to humanitarian crises.
• WUNRN -  Sheltering Displaced Persons from Sexual & Gender-Based Violence - This publication presents four reports that examine shelters in Haiti, Kenya, Colombia and the Thailand/Burma border. A fifth comparative report summarises the unique challenges that shelter-providers face, as well as strategies for protecting and serving refugees and internally displaced persons in camps and urban areas.
• Update on SPHERE standards: the Sphere Board has began to develop a new strategy to transform the Sphere Project into a global standards network by 2020.
• The Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) training team recently carried out a training of trainers course in Jamaica for 24 participants from across the region. There are now 308 LEGS trainers from 80 countries across the world. Between them, they have trained over 3,000 people from over 30 countries in the LEGS approach. Additional information on how to organise a LEGS training is available on the LEGS website

• The security situation in the country remains volatile. Nevertheless, the delivery of assistance continues although with some difficulties.
• The agricultural campaign carried out by FAO and some 20 partners, is making progress and 70 000 families have been reached (85% of the targeted 80 000 families) with seeds and tools for the planting season. It is accompanied by WFP distribution of protection rations, that have covered so far 138 000 beneficiaries from the start of the programme in April. Read more: FSC Bulletin n. 8.
• The rainfall pattern is being carefully analysed. In fact, April, May and June were drier than on average. While  this seems to give farmers the benefit of a more flexible planting season (i.e. until July), the rainfall deficits in the north-west – which are the main agricultural areas – may affect the agricultural production. If there is no normal rain in July, the impact on food security may become worrying.
• The FSC  Working Groups on Agro-pastoralism, Vegetable production in the Bangui belt and Monitoring and Evaluation are continuing their activities. In particular the Agro-pastoralism Working Group, attended by the Ministries of Livestock and Rural Development, is collecting knowledge and good practices as the basic work to propose guidelines for interventions to the partners. The Monitoring and Evaluation WG is focusing on expanding Standard Operating Procedures for food assistance distribution and integration of protection.
• While the Humanitarian Country Team has not yet made a final decision on the revision of the SRP, the plan for the next country assessments has been presented: the CFSAM should take place in August and the EFSA in September-October, to be able to feed in the next IPC analysis (in November) and the HNO/SRP process. The Terms of Reference for the EFSA have been shared with partners for comments.
• A new OCHA Report "Central African Republic Crisis and its Regional Humanitarian Impact: An overview of needs and requirements" discusses the humanitarian consequences of the crisis which are being felt across the region, in Chad, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo.

• Inputs for emergency livelihood interventions are being delivered and partners are distributing as soon as the inputs are delivered to sites. Food, seeds and tools are being dispatched by air in hard to reach areas.
• Regarding improved access to food, partners have completed registration of 19,538 people in Mandeng, Upper Nile State and distributions are set to begin once commodities arrive by boats from Gambella. Distributions in Wau Shiluk and Pagak, Upper Nile State were finalized. Registration is ongoing in Mewut.
• In Unity, distribution has been completed in Mayendit. Due to increased movement of people back into Leer, it has been agreed that there will be a re-registration with the next round of food distributions. In Koch, it is estimated that 20,000 people are in need of assistance, thus partners will start registration and distribution.
• 19,000 people have been reached with food distributions in Jiech.
• 71 MT of crop seeds have been dispatched to Wau for distribution in Warrap and Western Bahr El Gazal distributions, as well as agricultural tool and fishing kits. 650 emergency livelihood crop kits were released to partners for Jonglei State, 3160 in Unity State and 320 emergency fishing kits were released to partners in Jonglei, 250 in Upper Nile
• One airdrop of crop seeds was carried out in Mayendit on 21 June.
• Access to most payams in Akobo, Duk, Ayod, Fangak and Pigi is constrained. There are two factors affecting accessibility – security and poor road infrastructure.
• Delays in delivery of inputs and food are hampering humanitarian response in most parts of Jonglei State.
• Traders from Sudan are unable to supply Sorghum in Aweil East due to punitive taxation by authorities thus reducing access to food.
• The rapid deterioration of roads makes it difficult to reach some distribution sites. Airdrops are being increasingly considered for seeds distributions.

• The collective efforts of the three UN food and agriculture agencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been recognised in the 2014 Award of Excellence by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The award ceremony took place on Friday, 6 June, 2014 in Rome, during an official session of WFP’s Executive Board.

• Large number of displacements with the attendant loss of assets and income are key factors caused by recent events that have exposed a large number of people to the risk of severe food insecurity. The increasing number of IDPs is placing pressure on host communities.
• The renewed large scale conflict and civilian displacement coincides with the peak of summer heat in the region and the month of Ramadan starts next weekend which would likely increase the vulnerability of the displaced communities, because food prices are expected to rise over this period.
• Despite favourable weather conditions that benefited crop growth, the current escalation of conflict, together with the large displacements, has coincided with winter crops harvesting which taken together with the ongoing political complexities has complicated market ramifications for producers.
• The ongoing fuel crisis, disruptions in transport, logistics and marketing activities are expected to result in food shortages and food price increases.
• As of 24 June, WFP has dispatched 6013 food parcels (391 mt) to 10270 families and 51350 individuals and is distributing with cooperating partners ACTED, IOM, and ISHO. The distributions are taking place in Sinjar district, Kalar district, Shiekhan -  kalkaji, Telusquf, Ba'sheeqa, and Qasrook.
• FAO assistance, working with Government and FSC partners focuses on safeguarding and supporting livelihoods by protecting, restoring and improving food and agricultural production systems of mainly vulnerable affected households.
• The food security partners met on Monday 23 June. The Strategic Plan and priority activities for the next 6 months were agreed and partners reconfirmed their commitment to principals of the cluster coordination and the importance of building on existing systems and ensuring that effective response that is reflective and accountable to the needs of the beneficiaries. Affected women, men, girls and boys, community leaders, national non-governmental organizations, national and local government authorities will be the main focus of relevant and context-sensitive capacity interventions. 
• The WFP Executive Director and Regional Director visited Erbil on 23-24 June 2014. Their visit comprised of a field trip to visit FSC cooperating partners and to meet with displaced families in the Kalak transit camp. The visit also included meetings with the KRG Prime Minister Nechervan Idris Barzani, other Government Officials, Heads of UN and NGO Agencies.
• WFP and FAO, at the Global, Regional and National levels, strongly reaffirmed their commitment and support both as cluster partners and Cluster Co-Lead Agencies for Food Security, and to the leadership of the Logistic Cluster by WFP, to the humanitarian response and the work of the all cluster partners.

• Food Security Cluster Coordinator in Chad (French speaking) Apply by 8 July.
• Food Security Cluster Coordinator in Goma, DRC (French speaking). Apply by 10 July.
• Mercy Corps: Food Security and Livelihoods  Cluster NGO Co-lead in Juba, South Sudan. For more info and to apply, please contact Mohammed Qazilbash, mqazilbash@field.mercycorps.org
• Oxfam GB: Programme Coordinator- Women’s Economic Empowerment and Care (WE-Care) (Part-time) based in Oxford. Apply by 10 July.
• FAO: Emergency Operations and Programme Consultant/Officer in Sana’a, Yemen for 6 months. Please contact Hala Hafez, hala.hafez@fao.org for more information and to apply.

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