Highlights
The preliminary findings of the Joint assessment CILSS/FEWSNET, FAO, WFP and Government of The Gambia conducted in October – November 2012, revealed that the overall crop production performance in The Gambia has improved in comparison with 2011. Cereal production, particularly coarse grain, is estimated to increase by 24%- from 159,480 metric tons in 2011 to 209, 800 metric tons in 2012. However, this is 15% less than the 2010 production. Food access remains a challenge for households that were seriously affected by the 2011 crop failure due to high food prices and eroded purchasing power.
The analysis of the national nutrition survey with SMART methods has been completed and the preliminary results show that 1.2% of children 6-59 months are severely malnourished, while Global Acute Malnutrition is estimated at 9.2%. Kantaur, Janjanbureh and Basse Local Government Areas are most affected with global acute malnutrition rates of above 10 %.
Mr David Gressly, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator (RHC) for the Sahel visited The Gambia from 1st - 2nd November. Mr Gressly met with the Vice President, the humanitarian actors and the UNCT on the emergency response and the lessons learned from 2012 and initiated a discussion on resilience for the Gambia for 2013. As a result, The Gambia Resilience Strategy and Action Plan 2013 has been drafted and will be shared in the coming days to contribute to the Sahel strategy.