Fighting Hunger Worldwide 1 QUARTERLY REPORT World Food Programme in Lesotho July - September 2013
Vision Statement Led by the Government, and supported by partners, the population of Lesotho is well nourished, healthy, educated and resilient to shocks. Objectives The objective of WFP - Lesotho is to support the Government of Lesotho s Vision 2020 and National Strategic Development Plan, while at the same time addressing some of the key constraints to the realisation of MDG 1 (Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger). In particular, WFP will support the Government of Lesotho to prepare for weather related shocks, meanwhile addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability for the most food insecure communities. WFP will also support the Government to enhance the nutritional and social wellbeing of vulnerable groups through a comprehensive package of food assistance and capacity building interventions. This will include continued support to the Government-led School Meals Programme, and tailored packages of nutrition support for target groups including children under the age of five, pregnant and lactating mothers, and people living with HIV & AIDS and TB. Strategic Focus In order to achieve our objectives, WFP in Lesotho has identified two pillars of intervention. These are: Enhancing Resilience and Responsiveness to Food Security Shocks, and Enhancing Nutritional and Social Wellbeing of Vulnerable Groups. Lesotho Facts and Figures Estimated population (GoL 2006) 1.8 million Total Land Mass (CIA World Fact Book) 30,355 km 2 Life expectancy at birth (GoL 2006) 41 years Under 5 mortality rate (DHS 2009) 117/1,000 live births Under 5 stunting (DHS 2009) 39% Adult HIV/AIDS prevalence rate (DHS 2009) 23.3% Number of orphans (GoL 2011) 360,000 People living on less than US$1.25/day (UNDP 2012) 43.4% People living below the national poverty line (GoL 2009) 43.2% GDP per capita (UNDP 2005) US$1504 National Primary school enrollment rate (World Bank 2011) 74% 2012 Human Development Index rating (UNDP 2012) 158/186 In this Issue WFP in Lesotho 1 School Meals and EMOP 2 Country Programme 3 Second Quarter Targets and Partners 4 Key Events 5 Programme Funding and Map of Lesotho 6
WFP in Lesotho 3 1 INTRODUCTION This is the third quarterly report of 2013, which aims to inform on developments and achievements at WFP in partnership with the Government of Lesotho and other organizations. WFP is working to support the Government of Lesotho's goal of improving national food security and reducing malnutrition. 2013 projects include Emergency Operations (EMOP 200499) which has a goal of reaching 289,195 beneficiaries, School Meals Programme (DEV 200199) which aims to reach 125,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2013, and the Country Programme (CP 200369) which will reach 124,500 beneficiaries in 2013 (447,600 people over the 5 year duration of this programme). Cross cutting issues include HIV/AIDS, Gender, Capacity Building, and Disaster Risk Reduction. These projects have enabled WFP to reach more than 218,000 people in the third quarter and more than 486,000 people since the beginning of 2013. Key threats confining the country's development include chronic poverty, high unemployment rates, food insecurity exacerbated by weather-related shocks, widespread chronic malnutrition with stunting for children under five years at 39 percent, iron deficiency anaemia at 47 percent, HIV and AIDS at 23 percent-the third highest in the world. Grandparents often need to provide and care for orphans whose parents have died from AIDS - there are about 360,000 orphans in Lesotho. Lesotho is recovering from the devastating effects of two successive crop failures compounded by various socio-economic adversities. The Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC) estimates in the 2013/14 report that at least 10% of the population (223,055 people) will be food insecure in 2013. WFP and its partners are working on a coordinated response, while the Government has committed that they would continue to revitalize agriculture to attain food security. Success Story Each morning many children arrive at the Mahlathe Pre-School in Maseru having not eaten since the day before. With many parents unable to find work, the pre-school has become a beacon of hope for many struggling families who yearn for a brighter future for their children. Pre-school support is expected to increase school enrolment by ensuring that children are better prepared for primary school education. The Government of Lesotho is providing bursaries to assist poor households for the payment of pre-school fees. Support to children in this age group also offers an opportunity to contribute to alleviating micronutrient deficiencies through a nutritionally focused approach. WFP assists more than 50,000 pre-school children each month with breakfast and lunch support. (Photo: WFP/Catherine Robar) With the support of our partners, this year WFP provided monthly support to more than 50,000 children in pre-schools, ensuring that they receive a morning porridge and lunch in the afternoon.
Emergency Programme 42 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN RESPONSE TO CROP FAILURE IN LESOTHO The aim of the Emergency Operations (EMOP) is to secure the immediate food needs of those most adversely affected by the drought, while simultaneously taking steps to reduce land and soil degradation, and strengthen watershed management endeavors, while enhancing the resilience of the most vulnerable people. This programme began in October 2012 and was originally intended to end in April 2013, however due to the continued need and received funds by the donor community the programme has been extended until December 2013. Component One: Targeted Vulnerable Group Feeding: This was a short term intervention to save lives of people living with acute food insecurity. This programme ended in June, 2013 due to the positive results published by the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC). This report indicated that 223,055 people will be food insecure in 2013/14, representing an improvement over last year s figure of 725,000 food insecure people. WFP assisted 110,441 households representing 504,935 individual people during this intervention. Component Two: Food/Cash for Work: WFP partnered with The Disaster Management Authority (DMA), who facilitated the community-based selection, registration and validation processes to identify eligible households with a high dependency ratio. As well, the Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation provided technical assistance. Both projects were placed on temporary holds during portions of the third quarter while WFP underwent a re-targeting strategy. This was in relation to the positive results published by the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC). Resource constraints delayed the start of the project, however, WFP was able to assist 37,883 households since the beginning of the year, representing 190,833 individuals through its Cash for Assets and Food For Work schemes. SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAMME The purpose of the School Meals Programme is to assist the Government of Lesotho to integrate and scale up the delivery of "Education for All" interventions to the most vulnerable children in the mountainous areas of the country, and contributes to the second outcome of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) to achieve improved and expanded equitable access to quality basic health, education and social welfare services for all by 2012. This programme was originally designed to assist 75,000 children but due to the donation made by the Republic of South Africa, the programme has been scaled up. In mid-2013 the programme expanded to assist 125,000 children and in 2014 the programme will reach 150,000 children. Two girls at a WFP supported school enjoy a hot lunch. (Photo: WFP/Catherine Robar) In the third quarter, WFP reached 119,899 children with a mid-morning snack and a lunch meal. The food basket consists of fortified maize meal, pulses, fish, fortified vegetable oil, sugar and salt. WFP is also planning to build school kitchens and store rooms through a Trust Fund which is 100% funded by the Government of Lesotho. WFP is targeting schools located in mountainous and hard to reach areas. The country office has recruited a Civil Engineer to oversee construction work.
Development Programme 5 3 COUNTRY PROGRAMME The Country Programme has been designed to enhance the resilience and responsiveness to food security shocks, and to enhance the nutritional and social wellbeing of vulnerable groups. This programme began in January 2013 and will continue until December 2017 and includes three components: Nutrition and HIV, Support to Education (pre-schools) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). WFP continues to seek funding partners for DRR activities. The Country Programme intends to reach 124,500 beneficiaries in 2013 and 447,600 people over the 5 year duration of this programme. Component One Resilience Building/Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): WFP will support livelihood strategies that enhance resilience to whether shocks through activities that contribute to the reduction of soil and land degradation. WFP continues to seek funding for this programme. Component Two - Support to Education (Pre-Schools): WFP is targeting pre-school children in the country attending Early Childhood Care and Development Centres recognised by the Ministry of Education and Training. WFP exceeded it s target of 50,000 by reaching 51,084 children with a daily mid-morning breakfast and lunch. Component Three - Support to Nutrition and HIV: The Supplementary Feeding programme began in 4 district however the programme in the third quarter has been expanded to the remaining 6 districts of Lesotho. The sensitization process has been completed in all 6 districts: Quthing, Mohale s Hoek, Mafeteng, Maseru, Leribè, Butha Buthe. Food distributions began everywhere except Maseru which has been delayed while WFP continues to develop capacity within the Ministry of Health; distributions in the district of Maseru are planned for December. Supplementary Feeding is a programme that provides therapeutic food assistance to HIV/AIDS and TB clients, as well as malnourished women and children in the rural health clinics. Due to delayed funds, components of the nutrition programme only began in July 2013, however WFP was successful in reaching 76,899 beneficiaries since the beginning of the year. LESOTHO PROGRAMME CHALLENGES Country Programme: The Disaster Risk Reduction project has been delayed pending funding. The Country Programme is underfunded by USD29 million, WFP continues to look for funding partners. WFP is working with the Government of Lesotho to increase the capacity of district health workers, these challenges led to delayed results under the Supplementary Feeding programme. Emergency Operations: The late arrival of funds led to the Food for Work and Cash for Assets projects to begin late, affecting the number of beneficiaries reached.
Third Quarter Targets and Results Programme Total Beneficiaries Reached All Programmes 3 rd Quarter Planned 3 rd Quarter Reached 3 rd Quarter % Reached Male Female Total Male Female Total Male 1 st Quarter 2nd Quarter Female Total 4 Total Beneficiaries Reached to Date Country Programme 68,750 71,333 48,340 72,510 120,850 30,760 46,139 76,899 64 64 64 76,899 Emergency Operation School Meals 112,802 151,910 10,000 15,000 25,000 8,831 13,247 22,078 88 88 88 289,760 73,528 74,373 61,250 63,750 125,000 58,750 61,149 119,899 136 136 136 119,899 Total 255,080 297,616 119,590 151,260 270,850 122,841 146,035 218,876 103 96 99 486,558 Programme 1 st Quarter 2 nd Quarter Partnerships Total Commodity Distribution All Programmes 3 rd Quarter Planned (Mt) 3 rd Quarter Actual (Mt) 3 rd Quarter % Distributed Total Food Distributed to Date (Mt) Country Programme 540 738 2030 637 31 1915 Emergency Operations 1467 3102 1080 198 18 4767 School Meals 499 588 1055 1438 136 2525 Total 2506 4428 4165 2273 55 9207 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WFP worked closely with the Food Management Unit (FMU) for the storage and delivery of food commodities, while the Disaster Management Authority (DMA) was tasked with the overall coordination of the emergency operation. The Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation provided technical expertise for these projects. The Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation provided basic guidance on the use of established work norms in community asset creation and restoration through the Cash/Food for Work programmes; and provided tree seedlings and grass seeds. The Lesotho Ministry of Health has been a strong supporter of WFP s Nutrition Programme and the Ministry of Gender has provided advocacy materials to WFP beneficiaries to highlight the link between Food Insecurity and Gender Based Violence. The Government of Lesotho has provided funding to build kitchens and store-rooms in approximately 30 schools in the highlands while WFP has worked very closely with the Ministry of Education under the School Meals programme. NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs) WFP has engaged local and international NGOs as Cooperating Partners in the implementation of various programmes. Partnerships were developed and maintained up to a formal Field Level Agreement with CARITAS, World Vision International, CARE, and the Lesotho Red Cross to assist in the implementation of WFP s Cash for Assets, and Food for Work projects as well as the Nutrition programme. UN AGENCIES WFP worked closely with other UN agencies under the Delivery as One approach which enables complementary programming and the avoidance of duplication. Key UN partners include: FAO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and UNAIDS. The Lesotho Country Office is currently seeking partnerships with UNICEF for the provision of learning materials to pre-schools. In addition, UNICEF is involved in the training of teachers as well as assisting to prepare the school curriculum. FAO has assisted WFP with the Cash for Assets and Food for Work projects, particularly in Disaster Risk Reduction Agriculture practices. FAO has implemented Conservation Agriculture projects which complement Disaster Risk Reduction activities being implemented by WFP as well as providing technical assistance in the drought response. In collaboration with UNFPA, WFP field monitors and cooperating partners were trained on the dissemination of Gender Based Violence messages to communities/beneficiaries during the food distribution activities.
Key events 7 July The Government of Japan generously donated USD$1,881,188 to the Country Programme which addresses Nutritional and HIV support. This programme targets people living in the most vulnerable districts of Lesotho which include the mountainous regions, Senqu River Valley and the Southern Lowlands. 5 The Country Office participated in the African Union - Africa Arise Summit, hosted by the Government of Lesotho from July 29-30th. The main objective of the summit was to discuss ways to scale up malnutrition response activities within the African continent. Lesotho public schools were on holiday from June 21-July 29. The African Development Bank has confirmed a donation of $USD 1 million to be used to within the Emergency Operations programme to address food insecurity issues. August WFP partnered with the Government of Lesotho to improve capacity building through a trip to the WFP Brazil Centre of Excellence Against Hunger. Between 25 August and 6 September WFP accompanied high level Government officials to Brazil to learn about how other countries are managing their School Meals programme. The Government learned new skills which will further prepare it to take over the School Meals programme in 2015. The Government of Lesotho and multiple stakeholders including WFP completed the signing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) compact, the official signing took place on September 4th. CAADP aims to help African countries reach a higher path of economic growth through agriculture-led development. CAADP addresses policy and capacity issues across the entire agricultural sector and African continent. The process is African-led and owned, and represents African leaders' collective vision for agriculture in Africa. This ambitious and comprehensive vision for agricultural reform in Africa aims for an average annual growth rate of 6 percent in agriculture by 2015. The 17th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-17) announced the long-range rain forecast for the region. Between the months of October 2013 to January 2014 Lesotho was predicted to experience normal to above normal rainfall. February and March however are expected to receive above normal levels of rainfall. September WFP underwent a re-targeting exercise in light of the recent LVAC (Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee) results which show an improvement in food security in the country. As a result, the Food for Work programme was temporarily put on hold with the exception of the district of Thaba Tseka. Although the LVAC shows a reduction in the number of people who are food insecure, there are still more than 225,000 people considered to be vulnerable in the country. The Supplementary Feeding programme sensitization process was completed in all 6 districts. Food distributions have begun in all districts with the exception of Leribè which begins in October, and Butha-Buthe and Maseru which will begin in November. On September 25 and 26 WFP Lesotho met with South African Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Sello Jelle and First Secretary Mr. Siyabonga Ponco. Together the delegation visited a primary school, pre-school and clinic to see first-hand the projects which are being supported by the Republic of South Africa. In addition, the delegation met with Lesotho government officials including the District Administrators for Maseru and Berea, as well as members of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and the Food Management Unit to discuss the challenges and opportunities of humanitarian programmes in Lesotho. Photo: WFP/Catherine Robar
2013 Programme Funding 3 3 6 EMOP Food (USD) Cash and Vouchers Total (USD) School Feeding Total (USD) ECHO 4 062 415.00 4 062 415.00 USAID/FFP 2 500 000.00 2 500 000.00 UN Cerf 2 339 518.00 2 339 518.00 UK/DFID 1 605 136.00 1 605 136.00 Switzerland 537 634.00 537 634.00 CIDA 503 525.00 503 525.00 China 500 000.00 500 000.00 Luxembourg 262 123.00 262 123.00 Saudi Arabia 109 548.66 109 548.66 ADB 1 000 000.00 1 000 000.00 Total Received 7 752 348.66 5 667 551.00 13 419 899.66 Shortfall 1,180,100.34 South Africa/DIRCO 3,855,328.00 Government of Lesotho 768,147.00 Total Received 4,623,475.00 Shortfall 0.00 Country Programme Total (USD) South Africa DIRCO 5,664,057.00 Japan 4,199,675.00 Total Received 9,863,732.00 Shortfall 29,236,268.00 For more information contact: World Food Programme 11 United Nations Road Maseru, Lesotho, 100 Tel: +266 22 323 989 www.wfp.org/countries Lesotho