IR-EMOP Emergency assistance to vulnerable households affected by El Niño induced drought in Swaziland

This operation expired on July 2016.

The El Niño phenomenon, officially declared in March 2015, has resulted in below-average rainfall, spurring poor forecasts for crop production and food security throughout the southern Africa region and in Swaziland. To respond to

the need for emergency assistance related to the drought, WFP will implement this immediate response emergency operation (IR-EMOP) in the Lubombo and Shiselweni regions of Swaziland, which include some of the most droughtaffected areas in the country. Adjustments may be made to geographic targeting based on complementarity with Government and partner responses.

In line with government’s declaration of a state of emergency on 18 February 2016 and appeal for financial and technical support from the international community, WFP proposes an IR-EMOP to start providing emergency food assistance in most affected areas, while a subsequent operation is being designed. Provision of food in-kind was selected for this IR-EMOP as first line of response, in keeping with the National Emergency Response Mitigation and Adaptation Plan (NERMAP). Cash based transfers are being discussed with the Government and considered in the longer term response, with the idea of targeting people in other vulnerable areas affected by the drought and with better access to markets and financial services.

• Duration of assistance: three months (15 April to 14 July 2016) with a total budget of US$ 680,078. A longer term response is being developed to further address the emergency needs defined in the NERMAP.
• Number of beneficiaries and location: WFP will assist 72,000 beneficiaries, or approximately 14,000 households, in the Lubombo and Shiselweni regions