Assistance and Capacity Building to Conflict-Affected Populations

This Operation has been modified  as per Budget revision 5 (see below).

Since its creation as a Republic in 1991, Georgia has faced dissent from two separatist regions: South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In August 2008, tensions flared into military conflict over South Ossetia. The conflict created a livelihood crisis for some 130,000 people living in and around the conflict areas. Combined with the impact of the global financial crisis, this situation has contributed to a nationwide socio-economic downturn. Thus, the economy, which had moved forward at an unprecedented rate over the past five years, is now in a precarious position.

As a result, WFP will extend operations in Georgia for a further 24 months under a new PRRO, rather than hand over its operations to the Government by the end of 2008/early 2009, as originally planned. The new PRRO 10787.0 will support a smooth transition from emergency relief to livelihood creation and restoration (SO3), and prepare for a hand-over of operations to the Government (SO5) in 2011 (1). WFP will also continue its food assistance programmes to HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients (SO4). The PRRO includes support to highly vulnerable IDPs from the 1992 conflict, in line with the Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) and the Government’s national IDP Plan, including urban poor, and in Abkhazia vulnerable children and farmers. The PRRO supports a reduction in poverty and hunger (MDG1).

The PRRO strategy has been guided by the inter-agency Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) of October 2008, which identified an active role for WFP in the recovery process. The 2009 Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods Assessment further underscored the need for continued WFP support. Food security has been jeopardised in areas affected by the conflict due to population displacement, the loss of agricultural assets and the widespread disruption to livelihoods.

The PRRO has two components: 1) relief to maintain adequate food consumption among vulnerable households and restore or prevent a loss of assets, and 2). recovery to improve food production through the creation and rehabilitation of agricultural assets. Food assistance will be provided through the modalities of general food distributions and food for work (FFW)/cash for work (CFW). 

The PRRO will see WFP phasing down its presence in Georgia by 2011, handing over activities to national and district government, while contributing to the development of strategic directions in the areas of food security and nutrition. Moreover, over the course of the PRRO, WFP will continue to build capacity on emergency preparedness through district-level food security working groups, while deepening its relationship and support to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation.

(1) SO 3: Restore and rebuild lives and livelihoods in post-conflict, post-disaster or transition situations. SO 4: Reduce chronic hunger and under nutrition. SO 5: Strengthen the capacities of countries to reduce hunger.