IR-EMOP - Karnali Drought Response

This Operation expired in August 2016

Two successive poor monsoon seasons (2014 and 2015) led to consecutive poor summer harvests (Oct-Nov), while failure of the rains during the winter cropping season led to a failed winter harvest in the first quarter of 2016.  The economic blockade with India between September 2015 and February 2016 resulted in high transport prices and higher than normal food and commodity prices (now as much as double those in markets and the hills and plains) which magnified the impact of the drought on household food security and incomes.

An estimated 30,000 households (150,000 people in 59 VDCs) in the five Karnali districts and Bajura are in need of food and nutrition assistance.

As a preventative measure to reach the most nutritionally vulnerable population during the monsoon before conditional community works projects can start, the GON has requested WFP to assist in implementing a blanket supplementary feeding program in Jumla and Mugu districts using supercereal provided by the Ministry of Health. The IR-EMOP will run from 1 June to 31 August 2016.