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LESOTHO 2012 FLASH APPEAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.Executive Summary
Table I. Summary of Requirements – By Cluster/Sector (Six months)
Table II. Summary of Requirements – By Organization (six months)
2.Context and Humanitarian Consequences
2.1Context and Response to Date
2.2Humanitarian Consequences and needs analysis
2.3Scenarios
3.RESPONSE PLANS
3.1Strategic Priorities for Humanitarian Response
3.2Cluster/sector response plans
3.2.1Food Security
3.2.2Health and Nutrition
3.2.3Protection
3.2.4Coordination
4.Roles and Responsibilities
ANNEX I. LIST OF PROJECTS
Table III. Projects Grouped by Cluster/Sector – (Six months)
Table IV. Summary of Requirements – By Gender Marker (Six months)
ANNEX II. MAPS
Annex III: ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
1
LESOTHO 2012 FLASH APPEAL
1
LESOTHO 2012 FLASH APPEAL
1.Executive Summary
Lesotho has experienced a more than 70% drop in domestic agricultural production that has put more than 725,000 people, over a third of the population, at serious risk of food insecurity. The sharp reduction in agricultural yields for 2011/2012, due to a series of flooding, late rains and early frost, has reduced domestic production to only 32%of the national average cereal harvest of the last 10 years.
The late onset of rains in the planting season (October-December 2011) following a bad agricultural season in 2010-2011 led to an increased proportion of uncultivated fields. Despite good rainfall in December 2011, cumulative precipitation remained below average almost countrywide for most of the cropping season, and the rains came towards the very end of the season for the main crops (maize and sorghum). Therefore, dry spells and late rains during the planting season prevented most farmers from cultivating their fields and those who decided to plant did it late, exposing themselves to early frost which affected the maturity and quality of the crop.
This year’s crop failures follow poor harvests last year, which has increased the vulnerability of many of the country’s poorest farmers. In addition, traditionally more productive areas in the lowlands have also performed poorly this season. This, compounded by a sharp increase of at least 18%in the price of food has put further pressure on households, exacerbating an already precarious situation, making it almost impossible for many to meet their minimum food requirements.
The data collected by the Government of Lesotho (GoL) as part of the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC), as well as the recent rapid assessments conducted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and evidence from monitoring of ongoing programmes implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), confirm the negative trend in cereal production country-wide.
The June 2012 USAID/Food For Peace food security assessment report conducted in the three ecological areas of the country, confirms high numbers of food-insecure people as a result of poor harvests, and reduction in remittances due to the global economic crisis that has severely negatively affected the region and led to reduction of employment opportunities in the country.
On 9 August 2012 the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Lesotho declared an Emergency Food Crisis in Lesotho. On 13 September 2012 following the Declaration of Emergency, the GoL launched a Response Plan which they called ‘Appeal for Humanitarian Assistance’, requesting support from development partners and the international community for the period September 2012 to June 2013.
In response to the GoL request for assistance, the humanitarian community will focus on the first six months of priority interventions to be included in this Flash Appeal. This includes time-critical interventions aimed to address the structural causes of the food security crisis.
The process of developing this Flash Appeal involved the UN agencies in Lesotho under the UN-DRMT, government sector working groups under the Disaster Management Authority (DMA) and relevant NGO’s such asCatholic Relief Services, CARITAS, World Vision International, and CARE, as well as the Lesotho Red Cross.The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Regional Office for Southern Africa provided technical guidance and support
The following are strategic objectives of this Flash Appeal
■Strengthen the emergency response capacity of the GoL.
■Address the immediate and life-saving needs in terms of facilitating access to food, money and agriculture production inputs (planting season starts in October) for the most vulnerable households.
■To limit the use of negative coping mechanism of the vulnerable communities
■To reduce the vulnerability to shocks and increase the resilience of vulnerable communities.
In close coordination with the Government of Lesotho, and to complement its activities, the international humanitarian community including NGOs and United Nations agencies is seeking $[1]38,458,738 to address the immediate needs of the 203,250most deprived and vulnerable peopleand indirectly supporting all 725,000 affected people in all agro-zones, focusing on three main areas affected by the prevailing situation in the country: a) Agriculture and Food Security; b) Health, Nutrition and c) Protection.
Basic humanitarian and development indicators for Lesotho
Population / 2,193, 800 people (UNDP HDR 2011) 1,876,633 people (Lesotho Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census)Population growth / 0.08%
Under-five mortality / 85/1,000 (UNICEF Childinfo statistical tables)
Life expectancy / 48.2 years (UNDP HDR 2009)
HIV prevalence among adult population / 23% (DHS 2009)
Prevalence of undernourishment in total population / 14% (FAO)
Chronic malnutrition (stunting) / 39,2% of total population (DHS 2009)
Gross national income per capita / $1,220 (World Bank Key Development Data & Statistics)
Percentage of population living on less than $1.25 per day / 47.59% (UNDP HDR 2011)
Proportion of population without sustainable access to an improved drinking water source / 22% (UNDP HDR 2009)
UNDP HDR 2011 Development Index score / 0.450, 160, low (score, position, Human Development low/medium/high)
Table I. Summary of Requirements – By Cluster/Sector (Six months)
Lesotho Food Insecurity (September 2012 - March 2013)as of 21 September 2012
Compiled by OCHA on the basis of information provided by donors and appealing organizations.
Cluster / Original requirements / CERF
Funding / Unmet requirements / %
Covered
($)
A / ($)
B / ($)
C=A-B /
D=B/A
COORDINATION / 1,000,000 / - / 1,000,000 / 0%
FOOD SECURITY / 33,283,870 / 5,435,414 / 27,848,456 / 16%
HEALTH AND NUTRITION / 3,318,471 / 596,598 / 2,721,873 / 18%
PROTECTION / 856,397 / 187,999 / 668,398 / 22%
Grand Total: / 38,458,738 / 6,220,011 / 32,238,727 / 16%
NOTE: "Funding" means Contributions + Commitments + Carry-over
Contribution: the actual payment of funds or transfer of in-kind goods from the donor to the recipient entity.
Commitment: creation of a legal, contractual obligation between the donor and recipient entity, specifying the amount to be contributed.
Pledge: a non-binding announcement of an intended contribution or allocation by the donor. ("Uncommitted pledge" on these tables indicates the balance of original pledges not yet committed.)
The list of projects and the figures for their funding requirements in this document are a snapshot as of 21 September 2012. For continuously updated information on projects, funding requirements, and contributions to date, visit the Financial Tracking Service (fts.unocha.org).
Table II. Summary of Requirements – By Organization(six months)
Lesotho Food Insecurity (September 2012 - March 2013)as of 21 September 2012
Compiled by OCHA on the basis of information provided by donors and appealing organizations.
Appealing
organization / Original requirements / CERF
Funding / Unmet requirements / %
Covered / Uncommitted
pledges
($)
A / ($)
B / ($)
C=A-B /
D=B/A / ($)
E
ActionAid / 437,500 / - / 437,500 / 0% / -
CARE International / 578,856 / - / 578,856 / 0% / -
CARITAS / 190,224 / - / 190,224 / 0% / -
CRS / 3,200,000 / - / 3,200,000 / 0% / -
FAO / 5,500,000 / 1,106,595 / 4,393,405 / 20% / -
OCHA / 150,000 / - / 150,000 / 0% / -
PAVA / 1,200,000 / - / 1,200,000 / 0% / -
UNDP / 850,000 / - / 850,000 / 0% / -
UNFPA / 600,000 / 187,999 / 412,001 / 31% / -
UNICEF / 6,119,557 / 2,216,409 / 3,903,148 / 36% / -
WFP / 18,677,101 / 2,339,518 / 16,337,583 / 13% / -
WHO / 955,500 / 369,490 / 586,010 / 39% / -
Grand Total / 38,458,738 / 6,220,011 / 32,238,727 / 16% / -
NOTE: "Funding" means Contributions + Commitments + Carry-over
Contribution: the actual payment of funds or transfer of in-kind goods from the donor to the recipient entity.
Commitment: creation of a legal, contractual obligation between the donor and recipient entity, specifying the amount to be contributed.
Pledge: a non-binding announcement of an intended contribution or allocation by the donor. ("Uncommitted pledge" on these tables indicates the balance of original pledges not yet committed.)
The list of projects and the figures for their funding requirements in this document are a snapshot as of 21 September 2012. For continuously updated information on projects, funding requirements, and contributions to date, visit the Financial Tracking Service (fts.unocha.org).
2.Context and Humanitarian Consequences
2.1Context and Response to Date
Assessments:
Since June 2012, the following assessments have been conducted: The analysis of these assessment results findings is reflected in the context summary.
■Bureau of Statistics Crops Forecast – June 2012
■Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee Report (Preliminary report)– July2012
■Catholic Relief Services (CRS), CARE, and World Vision Consortium Rapid Assessment Report – June 2012
■United States Agency for International Development – Food For Peace (USAID/FFP) Assessment Report – June 2012
Context Summary:
The Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC) estimates that at least 36% of the Lesotho population (725,000 people / 145,000 households) are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Lesotho’s food security has declined alarmingly for the second year in a row. The impact of drought and late rains in the cropping season 2011-2012 adds to the increasingly vulnerable situation of rural Lesotho after a poor harvest in 2010-2011 due to heavy rains. These weather patterns have also meant that the lowland areas that have typically had higher production have also performed poorly in the 2011-2012 season. The preliminary crop forecasts issued by the Bureau of Statistics (BoS) of Lesotho in June 2012 showed that the production of maize (the main staple food in Lesotho) declined by 77% from last year (from 73,441 metric tons/MTs to 16,788MTs). Sorghum production declined by 80% from 9,606MTs to 1,901MTs while wheat production also declined by 52% from 20,065MTs to 10,516MTs. These crop estimates indicate that the domestic production will contribute less than 10% of the annual national cereal requirements for 2012/13.
As indicated in the graphic to the left, the combined production of cereals in Lesotho is the lowest in ten years by a significant margin, representing only 32% of the average annual harvest, in a decade characterized by consistently declining production (except for 2009-10) and the increasing impact of Climate Change-induced shocks.
These crop estimates indicate that the domestic production will contribute less than 10% of the annual national cereal requirements for 2012/13. The LVAC estimates that at least 36% of the Lesotho population (725,000 people / 145,000 households) will be food-insecure.[2]
In addition to the data collected by the Government of Lesotho (GoL) indicated above, recent rapid assessments conducted by USAID and evidence from monitoring of ongoing programmes implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), confirm the negative trend in cereal production country-wide. Furthermore, according to the USAID/FFP report dated June 2012 the result of a food security assessment conducted in the three ecological areas of the country confirmed high numbersof food-insecure people as result of poor harvest, reduced remittances due to global economic crisis that affected also the region and reduced employment opportunities in the country.
According to the BoS, the area planted for all crops declined by 40% from 238,524 hectares/ha last season to 144,278 ha in 2011-12. Thedramatically worsening agricultural performance in Lesotho is attributed to many factors, including acute reduction of arable land, lack of access to yield enhancing technologies/inputs, severe soil erosion by water and overgrazing and associated declining fertility due to inappropriate traditional farming practices as well as increasingly persistent climate change-induced disasters.
Soil erosion has reached alarming proportions. While approximately only 9% of the total land area in Lesotho is arable, it is estimated that up to 13.2 t/ha of soil and 0.2-1.0% of arable land are lost to soil erosion each year (NES, 1999).
Overgrazing is a key factor of soil erosion that needs to be addressed if sustainable solutions are to be found. About 60% of Lesotho’s total land area is estimated to be rangeland, which have beendeteriorating over the years. The last National Rangeland Inventory was carried out from 1983-1986, and estimated that land degradation occurs at a rate of 40 MTs/ha/yr. Based on acarrying capacity of eight ha/animal unit, the study concluded that overstocking rates were inthe order of 40-80% (Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation/MFLR, 2011).
Less than one percent of arable land is irrigated, thus drought and erratic / insufficient rains represent a high threat to Lesotho’s traditional rain-fed subsistence: agriculture is practiced by 90% of farmers. The late onset of rains in the planting season (October-December 2011) following a bad agricultural season in 2010-2011 led to an increased proportion of uncultivated fields. Despite good rainfall performance in December 2011, cumulative rainfall remained below normal almost countrywide for most of the cropping season, and the rains came towards the very end of the season for the main crops (maize and sorghum). Therefore, dry spells and late rains during the planting season prevented most farmers from cultivating their fields and those who decided to plant did it late, exposing themselves to early frost which affected the maturity and quality of the crop. The production was not only low, but also of very poor quality in most cases.
Such low levels of cereal production have a serious impact in a country with 77% rural population and just below 50% relying on subsistence farming as their main livelihood source. Besides, poor rural households’ access up to 40% of their annual income from casual labour activities and the increase of fallow land and poor production directly represent a decrease of livelihood opportunities.
The resilience of this population has also been depleted by the cumulative effects of successive poor harvests. The bulk of household food will need to come from purchases. Yet food prices are also increasing, making it almost impossible for poor households to meet their food requirements. Petrol prices are 12% higher than the same period last year; diesel increased by 14% and paraffin prices by 13% (Petroleum Fund). The annual inflation rate in May was estimated at 6.5% which is 0.1% points lower than the rate observed in April (Source: BoS). Thus increase in negative coping mechanisms (i.e. reduced number of meals and intake per day) is likely to be widespread. Poor production also increases the duration of the lean season. Food shortage usually occurs between the planting and harvest seasons from September to May with observed differences between ecological zones, though this unprecedented crop failure will certainly extend the food insecurity peak. The cumulative impact of poor agricultural seasons has eroded Basotho’s resilience and increased chronic livelihood vulnerability.
In the ongoing food insecurity crisis, it is imperative to remember the fact that HIV/AIDS pandemic affects Lesotho significantly. The country carries the world’s third highest prevalence of HIV positive, with 23.5% of the population affected. Adequate calories and nutritious intake is paramount for HIV positive people. Additionally, chronic malnutrition rates from 2009 (Demographic Household Survey/DHS) are reaching alarmingly high levels in Lesotho. Among children aged 0-59 months, the prevalence of stunting was 39.2%, “very high” according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, with levels above 45% in the mountain districts of Mokhotlong, ThabaTseka and Qacha’s Nek. Underweight prevalence was about 13.2% (DHS 2009).
Mobilizing for the response:
On Lesotho television on August 9, 2012, the Prime Minister of Lesotho, Tom Thabane declared a food crisis and called on development partners to assist.
The Prime Minister identified the following priorities for response:
■To improve agricultural productivity and food security though maximum use of arable land, subsidized inputs and promotion of drought-resistant crops.
■To scale up conservation farming and homestead farming/gardening.
■To promote nutrition services to both expectant women and mothers of infants and young children.
The emergency coordination structure of the United Nations system in Lesotho is organized around the UN Disaster Risk Management Team (UNDRMT) which includes World Food Programme (WFP), FAO, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and WHO. The UNDRMT has been engaged in the preparation of this coordinated response plan that includes a rapid response element funded through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and a broader emergency and a two-year recovery plan, being developed in collaboration with the GoL, through the Disaster Management Agency (DMA), relevant line ministries, and non-government organization (NGO) partners.
A joint support mission from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Regional Office for Southern Africa (OCHA/ROSA) and FAO (Regional Emergency Office for Southern Africa/REOSA) took place on 18 to 20 July 2012 to give technical guidance in developing a response plan and to attend consultative meetings with the different stakeholders in the country. A second OCHA ROSA mission took place to develop an application to the CERF.
As result of the consultation process, an overall strategy to respond to the situation was developed, including both emergency and early recovery approaches to address immediate needs and the structural causes of the current situation. From these key areas of immediate intervention were identified for consideration as part of a CERF application. The consultation process involved the government sector working groups under the DMA and relevant NGOs such as CRS, CARITAS, World Vision International (WVI),and CARE, as well as the Lesotho Red Cross (LRC).