Highlights
· Expected in June, the onset of the monsoon season will substantially reduce access to people living high up in the mountains with no road access. WFP is acting fast but requires immediate resources in these vital weeks. The overall response remains critically underfunded.
· WFP’s emergency operation is currently undergoing a revision. The revision will incorporate findings from the latest Food Security Cluster (FSC) needs assessments and food security phase classification, while aligning WFP’s activities with the Government plans. The operation will be extended until 31 December 2015 to enable implementation of a three-phase response plan.
· The preliminary results from the FSC assessment conducted this month indicate that 1.4 million are in need of emergency food assistance. The assessment found that the food security and nutrition situation of the affected people is extremely serious and gives every indication of worsening if not immediately addressed.
· Adding to the already considerable food needs of the affected people, as outlined in the FSC assessment, the provision of rice and millet seeds is now a priority to restore livelihoods in time for the harvest season. Those farmers that will miss the 2015 planting season due to a lack of seeds will be subject to prolonged food insecurity.