Period covered by this Ops Update: 15 October 2012 – 31 October 2012-10-31 Appeal target (current): This Emergency Appeal seeks CHF 1,119,000 in cash, kind, or services to support the Lesotho Red Cross Society to assist 8,000 beneficiaries (1,600 households) for 9 months, and will be completed by July, 2013.
Appeal coverage: 0%; Appeal history:
• An Emergency Appeal was launched on 15 October, 2012.
• CHF 100,000 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society to start up activities and be able to provide immediate assistance. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
• This operations update provides further information on the situation and the needs that were given in the Emergency Appeal document as a result of the Household Economic Survey (HES) workshop which was facilitated from 16 – 20 October by a HES specialist, provided by the British Red Cross.
Summary: Agricultural production has dramatically decreased across Lesotho in recent months and severe food insecurity is affecting all ten districts of the country, including the mountainous areas, the foothills and the lowlands. More than 725,000 people are at serious risk of food insecurity. This year’s crop failures follow poor harvests last year, and the two consecutive years of reduced crop yields have increased the vulnerability of many of the country’s poorest farmers. While food insecurity and chronic vulnerability to hunger are unfortunately common in rural Lesotho, poor soil and the cumulative effect of the two bad harvests have pushed people into negative coping strategies and many have resorted to selling assets, taking children out of school and reducing meals.
The sharp reduction in agricultural yields has also been exacerbated by repeated flooding, late rains and early frost in mountainous regions. The situation is compounded by the fact that Lesotho has the third highest HIV prevalence rate in the world at 23.5%. Adequate and nutritious food is critical for these people.
