HIGHLIGHTS
• One third of the Afghan population remains food insecure despite the expected higher wheat harvest for 2016
• Locust infestation will halve the harvest of the Dawlatyar district located in Ghor, the most food insecure Afghan province
• Farmers forced to flee their homes and livelihoods due to increasing conflict in Baghlan
• Clashes threaten harvesting in Kot
• WFP and Afghanaid deliver food assistance to the most vulnerable in remote areas of Afghanistan
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN FUNDING
393 million requested (US$)
113 million received (US$)
In this issue
Pre-Harvest Assessment results P.1
Locust infestation in Ghor P.2
Kot conflict threatens food security P.4
Food aid reaches remote areas P.5
Humanitarian access overview P.7
Positive harvest expected for a fifth year in a row, while one third of Afghans remain food insecure
Wheat harvest in Afghanistan is expected to be slightly higher in 2016 than 2015 according to the Pre-Harvest Assessment released by WFP, FAO and FEWS NET in June 2016. Despite a dry winter and lower rainfall, thanks to otherwise favorable weather conditions, moderate temperatures and less flooding than last year, families across Afghanistan may experience an increase in crop production and agricultural outputs this year.
For the last decade one third of Afghans have been continuously food insecure, according to the National Risk Vulnerability Assessment (see Food Security chart). The Pre-Harvest Assessment lists the underlying causes for the ongoing food insecurity as a result of: war, continued unemployment, reduced labor wages, and the increasing cost of livestock, which have all taken its toll on the people of Afghanistan.
Food production in Afghanistan in the last four years has yielded a consistent grain harvest.
For 2016, wheat production is again expected to be slightly above that of last year.
Although agricultural output may be higher, many displaced people affected by conflict along with households hit by natural disasters such as flash floods, plant diseases and pests can experience acute food insecurity. For the newly displaced, humanitarian assistance is required as many have lost their homes, access to land and livelihoods. From January to June this year more than 149,000 individuals fled their houses due to conflict from 29 out of 34 provinces in Afghanistan.
The objectives and main findings of the Pre-Harvest Assessment
This Pre-Harvest Assessment was conducted during April and May 2016 by WFP, FAO and FEWS NET, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) and funded by USAID. The assessment set out to address three objectives: 1) determine key areas of concern that may affect food security outcomes; 2) identify possible risk factors that may cause acute food insecurity and 3) detect the status of upcoming wheat harvests.
Afghanistan has always relied on importing food to make up the difference between consumption and production. This explains another key finding of the assessment which indicates that the recent winter wheat harvest in Pakistan and the spring wheat harvest in Kazakhstan are both expected to be sufficient to allow normal trade flows of wheat and wheat flour into Afghanistan at stable prices. Furthermore, the wheat harvest is reported to increase food availability at the household level and drive down prices in the markets.
The assessment also stresses the timely availability and accessibility of quality agricultural inputs (improved seed, fertilizer, hand tools and chemicals) as well as the improvement and strengthening of veterinary and agricultural extension services.
While the report reflects the situation of crops from April to May 2016, MAIL will provide specific wheat production estimates in its post-harvest report expected by the end of July 2016. A second report based on data analysis from the 2016 Seasonal Food Security Assessment (SFSA) is due to be released at the end of July 2016.
The 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan targets the needs of 1.8 million food insecure people in Afghanistan. As of March 2016, the humanitarian community has assisted 405,000 people with food and nutritional support since the beginning of 2016.
Locust infestation hits Afghanistan’s most food insecure province
A locust infestation which broke out at the beginning of June is expected to halve the harvest of Dawlatyar district, located in Ghor, the most food insecure province of Afghanistan. An initial assessment from the provincial Department of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock (DAIL) estimates that the crops of around 1,000 farmers would be affected by the locust infiltration.
While the infestation broke out in early June, the delivery of 1,000 litres of pesticides provided by the Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) reached Ghor province only on 21 June.
DAIL and local farmers started their spraying campaign in late June. The campaign is currently ongoing while the locust are reportedly moving east towards Pushtai Noor and Somak areas bordering Lal Wa Sarjangal district. DAIL estimates the amount of pesticides to be sufficient to contain the infestation.
This locust infestation is a concrete example of what is indicated in the Pre-Harvest Assessment report in that “timely availability and accessibility of quality agricultural inputs (including chemicals) are crucial.”
“The locust started attacking our farms early June and pesticide was not available locally to control the locust. Farmers who had money went to market and bought pesticide, but our crops were destroyed as we were not able to purchase the chemicals. The DAIL sent pesticide but it reached us late,” said a farmer in Ghor.
The majority of families in Ghor rely on rain-fed agriculture land and their primary source of staple food is from their own crops.
The OCHA team visited the locust infested district to gather preliminary information on the farmers’ needs and required humanitarian assistance. Despite the initial estimation and assessment, some issues remain unclear: 1) the risks of further contamination; 2) whether or not the amount of available pesticides is sufficient to cover a second infestation; 3) whether food assistance will be required to support families through the winter.
FAO is leading an initial consultation by the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) partners in mid-July to see the impact of the locust infestation, the need for an assessment and any possible response. “We are going to the field to verify the information in order to gauge if assistance is needed,” said Abdul Majid, FAO Afghanistan Cluster Coordinator. The detailed assessment will examine the impact on the current and next harvests as well as the needs of the affected communities and a response plan will be developed accordingly. MAIL is intending to pre-position an additional 1,000 litres of pesticide for the next season to control any potential future locust infestation.