Normalizing livelihoods must be first-order priority, says FAO at special meeting to discuss response to Cyclone Idai
“This disaster calls on us all to expand the concept of life-saving interventions to include livelihoods protection. Normalizing livelihoods must be a first-order priority in humanitarian responses and in this response in particular,” said Carla Mucavi, Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations, during a special meeting convened by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on the theme, “Response to Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe” on 2 April.
The meeting aimed to inform Member States about the impact of Cyclone Idai, which affected 3 million people living in the already vulnerable communities in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
The event also discussed how to support a well-coordinated response, focusing on immediate humanitarian needs as well as sustainable and risk-informed medium and long-term recovery and reconstruction in the aftermath of the cyclone.
UN Deputy-Secretary General Amina Mohammed underscored that additional emergency funding is urgently needed to contain the crisis and help mitigate similar events in the future. She also emphasized that support is needed not only for emergency response but for sustainable recovery and resilience.
ECOSOC President Inga Rhonda King echoed this sentiment, stressing that more resources must be invested in disaster risk reduction, including preparedness and early warning at all levels. She also called on the international community to contribute to overcoming the crisis and the acute food shortage.
Providing a briefing on response efforts, Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, noted that an appeal was made for 230 million US Dollars in funding to provide humanitarian assistance for over 5 million people. He urged Member States to update their efforts on the Financial Tracking Service in order to coordinate efforts and highlighted a major funding shortfall.
Speaking via videoconference from Mozambique, WFP Executive Director David Beasley provided an update on the situations unfolding on the ground. He emphasized that homes should be more resilient to cyclones, as this will not be the last one of its kind.
Delivering a statement on behalf of FAO, Mucavi noted that the Organization immediately activated its highest-level response protocol- Level 3- in support of Mozambique and has already committed 500,000 US Dollars from FAO’s Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation. She also informed the participants that FAO has deployed significant human and technical resources to accelerate our support to the national response in all three countries.
“FAO and our partners are already working to deliver targeted expertise, seeds and livestock to ease immediate food and nutrition needs and ensure that we don’t miss the next planting season which is staring now,” Mucavi said.
Mucavi stressed the importance of maintaining a continued focus in supporting governments to restore livelihoods, build resilience, protect food security and nutrition over the medium and longer term and ultimately reduce the worst impacts of such extreme climate events across the region in the future.
As part of the wider effort to accelerate the support to the affected countries, FAO is appealing for 28 million US Dollars to reach approximately 900 000 people.
Relevant links
Statement by Carla Mucavi, Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations