It is getting much worse:
http://www.wfp.org/emergencies/ebola
(you can donate on this page)
Preventing A Food Crisis
The objective is to prevent a health crisis from becoming a food crisis. In the three countries, the food chain is threatened at many levels, starting with production. Farmers are leaving behind their crops and livestock as they seek areas they perceive as safer from exposure to the virus. Travel restrictions and displacements are likely to affect food prices.
The bans on eating traditional protein sources, such as bush meat, may also have implications for the food security and nutrition of people in these communities. Some of the animals that people normally hunt for food, such as bats and apes, are known to be potential carriers of the Ebola virus.
On the top of that, hundreds of households have already lost one or more of their members. The majority of Ebola victims fall within the 15-45 year bracket and are therefore frequently the main income providers. The reduction of household income coupled with the already observed food price rise will further deteriorate the food security situation.
Food Assistance
Here's what WFP is doing in the three most affected countries:
Guinea: WFP began food distributions because of Ebola on 29 March and has reached around 40,000 people (in Biffa, Fria, Télémélé, N’Zerekore, Macenta and Guekedo districts). Preparations are being made to gradually increase distributions to 350,000 people over a period of three months.
Sierra Leone: WFP is reaching Ebola patients in health centres and affected households in the epicentres of Kenema and Kailahun as well as houses that are under quarantine in 12 out of 13 districts in Sierra Leone. Up to 400,000 people in Sierra Leone are targeted under the regional response for the next 3 months.
Liberia: WFP is working to deliver food for 400,000 people affected by ebola. So far around 100,000 people have been reached. They include people living in quarantine conditions and others in areas where the virus has been spreading rapidly. The priorities are the northern counties of Lofa and Nimba, along with the area in and around the capital Monrovia.
Logistics
Because of its expertise in logistics, WFP has been given the job of coordinating logistics for the entire humanitarian community involved in the Ebola response. This happens through the Logistics Cluster -- the group of humanitarian organisations that work together to ensure services like transport and storage work well during big emergencies. The Cluster has already provided support to UN agencies, NGOs and government authorities.
WFP also manages the UN Humanitarian Response Depots (UNHRD), which store emergency supplies that can be transported within 48 hours. UNHRD has recently sent more than US$220, 000 worth of protective gear like gloves, masks and emergency health kits for the World Health Organisation (WHO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and WFP from its depots in Ghana and Dubai.
In addition, it manages the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which transports humanitarian workers and light cargo to emergencies around the world. UNHAS is currently operating in West Africa and has flown more than 100 passengers from organisations like WHO, UNICEF, MSF and WFP into and out of the Ebola-affected areas since Aug. 16.
Food Security Analysis and Monitoring
WFP’s food security analysis (VAM) service is actively monitoring the food security situation across Guinea Sierra, Leone and Liberia. Various assessments are ongoing to better understand the impact of the Ebola outbreak on food markets and households’ food security. This sort of data is critical to shape action by governments and within the broader humanitarian response.
Rapid emergency food security assessments (EFSA) are being carried out with partners in the three Ebola-affected countries
Rapid assessment in key markets are underway to better understand how staple food prices are evolving.
Carrying out food security assessments in the midst of an Ebola outbreak presents new challenges.
WFP’s mVAM (mobile Vulnerability Assessment Mapping) is a good example of an innovative approach to collect precious data. Remote technology is being collected by contacting people in the affected areas by cell phone using both sms and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems.
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There is more to it...
large numbers of farms are under quarantine.
so are the markets - no large gatherings allowed.
Ebola has killed all the adults in many families. Children are ineligible to receive food assistance.
Here's the worst part:
unless fields are planted in the next few months, there will be no harvest next year. The chances the fields will get planted are about nil.
the quarantine is preventing local food from coming into the area.
this is also causing economic havoc as many are loosing their jobs so they can't afford to buy food, prices for which are skyrocketing.
there is also a ban on consumption of bush meat.
-t
