FAO-WFP Joint Monthly Briefings on the global food security situation

08/10/2021

On 6 October, FAO and WFP hosted the fifth joint FAO-WFP monthly briefing aiming at increasing awareness on Anticipatory Action (AA) and providing an update on the situation in the Horn of Africa.

During the first part of the briefing, both Agencies highlighted the increasing trend of food insecure people year after year and stressed that most of disasters can be prevented thanks to the technology and data at our disposal. ‘We know what to do and how to do it but we need to do more of it’ was one of main the messages delivered. Protecting livelihoods is not only humane and respectful of human dignity, but it is also cost effective. For every 1 USD spent in AA in Nepal, for example, 34 USD were saved in the response phase. This implies, among others, households incurred less debt, less distress sale of livestock and more capacity to restart productive activities.

FAO and WFP underscored that anticipatory action should be a collective responsibility, helping to operationalize the humanitarian-development nexus and its contribution to peace. In achieving so, all actors, Governments, UN agencies, NGOs, Civil Society Organisations and the private sector have a role to play.

During the second part, a brief presentation on the situation in the Horn of Africa was given by FAO and WFP colleagues in Nairobi. Some areas in the Horn are likely to experience a third consecutive poor rainy season. In particular, parts of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia have already experienced two consecutive rainfall seasons. The food security impacts for the East Africa region would be significant, if current forecasts materialize. These developments are concerning as in the recent past food security and nutrition outcomes in the region have often deteriorated sharply following consecutive poor rainy seasons.

In the absence of immediate action, food insecurity levels in the Horn are likely to increase. The implementation of appropriate, timely and well-targeted actions across affected areas is therefore crucial. These entail AA, scale-up for emergency response and flexible anticipatory financing. By investing now, ongoing resilience efforts and gains achieved in the past years can be protected.
During the event, IGAD stressed the dire situation in the region and the devastating impact a third poor rainy season can have in terms of food security, while underscoring the role of Early Warning information and AA in acting ahead of the peak of the crisis.

FAO Liaison Office in Geneva

FAO-WFP Joint Monthly Briefings on the global food security situation