Food Security Cluster Newsletter: Strategic Plan, Events and News from the field No images? Click here NEWSLETTERGLOBAL FOOD SECURITY CLUSTEROPERATIONAL UPDATES This newsletter will focus on the emergency food security response implemented in Southeast Türkiye and Syria following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck on 6 February, leading to wide-scale destruction. SPECIAL FOCUS: Syria/Türkiye EQ Response
In Türkiye, the earthquake of 7.8 magnitude triggered over 50,000 casualties, 107,204 injuries, 3 million relocated out of their homes with two thirds of them (1.59 million people) staying in informal settlements. The humanitarian community joined forces to support the Government-led response and a joint Government of Türkiye and the United Nations Flash Appeal for US$1 billion was launched to assist 5.2 million people affected by the earthquake. As of April 19, 29% is funded. The gFSC deployed an International Food Security Sector (FSS) coordinator and an international Information Management Officer (IMO) to steer the food security response. The FSS is conducting weekly coordination in-person meetings in Gaziantep gathering approximately 40 partners, and has set-up sub regional coordination structure in Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya. Food security sector partners in Türkiye, have responded distributing hot meals, food packages, cash and also implementing livelihood activities. In the region, around 376 mobile kitchens were dispatched by the Turkish Red Crescent, AFAD, Ministry of National Defense (MoND), Gendarmerie General Command, UN Agencies and I/NGOs have been established and operating. Since the beginning of the response, 9 organizations provided first line food assistance through hot meals and soup kitchens reaching daily approximately 2.3 million people. When kitchen facilities are available, assistance is provided through food packages. So far, 15 organizations have distributed around 126.050 food packages in 8 affected provinces (Adana, Adiyaman, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa). Around 102.056 beneficiaries were reached through cash-based activities where markets are functioning (in Adana, Adıyaman, Sanliurfa, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kilis, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaras and Malatya). One of the most pressing challenges remains the identification of and support to the underserved populations in rural areas and informal settlements with limited access to resources. According to FAO, the earthquakes caused US$6.7 billion in losses and damage to crops, livestock production, food stocks and agricultural infrastructure and assets. Since the beginning of the response, FAO has supported 750 households with seasonal agricultural support in Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, and Kilis to meet seasonal deadlines for spring and summer planting. In Syria, the earthquake struck in the districts of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Lattakia, Tartous, with over 4,500 deaths. FSL cluster colleagues working for the cross-border response into North-West Syria (NWS), and based in Gaziantep, were themselves affected by the earthquake and some relocated to other cities in the immediate aftermath. To support the scale-up of the FSC EQ response in NWS, gFSC deployed a FSL Coordinator to Gaziantep and an IMO through remote support. In NWS, the earthquake put further pressure to the already dire humanitarian situation which provides support to 4.1 million people (90% of population). FSL partners responded immediately with emergency food assistance to people affected by the earthquake targeting an additional 800,000 people directly affected (400,000 in NWS and 400,000 in Government-controlled area) through ready to eat rations, emergency cash and vouchers assistance for food, emergency food baskets, hot meals to people in shelters and reception centers, and bread,. Needs of earthquake affected population remain high, and the assessed vulnerable populations should be transitioned into regular support. Emergency agriculture interventions (crop and livestock) to restore livelihoods and to ensure planting season is not missed for timely food production are seriously underfunded. As of mid-April, whilst the Whole of Syria three-month earthquake Flash Appeal is 96% funded, the Syria HRP 2023 is only 8% funded. Should no sufficient resources be provided, there is a serious risk of reducing assistance (rations and/or caseload). PAST EVENTSFood Security Cluster Coordinators Retreat, FAO HQ, Italy, 24, 25-26 Jan 2023 UPCOMING EVENTSFood Security Cluster IMO Retreat, WFP HQ, Italy, 9-10-11 May 2023 Humanitarian Network and Partnerships Week, April 24-28, 2023 Available resources & toolkitsCLUSTER COORDINATION PERFORMANCE MONITORING (CCPM) Cash & Market Working Group Webinar - gFSC research on the use of cash transfers in contexts of acute food insecurity The gFSC support team kept engaging in the development of the new JIAF methodology (JIAF 2.0) for the intersectoral analysis of humanitarian needs that will feed HNOs and HRPs from the HPC 2024 onward. A gFSC member also deployed to Somalia to support the JIAF 2.0 pilot to ensure developed tools are fit for purpose and easy to implement in major and critical emergencies. |