A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
This Food Security crisis is a regional crisis affecting the Sahel area. According to the last Harmonized Framework in March 2015, the food insecure population within Mauritania was estimated at 723,000 people in IPC Phase 2 (Stressed) and an additional 260,000 people in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). The number of households in IPC Phase 2 has risen sharply over the last months. This reflects a gradual deterioration of the situation particularly for the rain-fed farming areas that face a second year of poor crop harvest. The projected situation for June-August 2015 estimated that the number of people affected would increase to 851,000 people under Stressed (Phase 2), 443,000 people in Crisis (Phase 3) and 21,000 people in emergency (Phase 4) on the IPC scale. The food insecurity situation affected the provinces of Hodh Elchargui (19.5%) of the total population), Assaba (16.3%), Brakna (14.9%), Gorgol (14.6%), Hodh Elgharbi (14%) and Guidimakha (13.9%).
According to the Harmonized Framework, (March 2015) the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) prevalence is 6.2%. This is supported by the various nutritional surveys carried out at the post-harvest period, which ranged from 5.6 to 8.5% nationally. No region of the country exceeds the 10% threshold, but the regions of Hodh El Charqui (9.6%), Guidimakha (9.4%), Brakna (8.8%) and Gorgol (7.7%) are the most affected. It is in this context that the International Federation supported the Mauritanian Red Crescent to respond and provide relief to the most affected people.
Summary of current response Overview of Host National Society To ensure the relief activities were implemented in an effective and efficient manner, the Mauritanian Red Crescent (MRC) invested in trainings. The trainings included two nutrition training sessions targeting 30 volunteers from the two intervention areas. The training enhanced the volunteers’ knowledge of malnutrition, screening techniques, referral of severe malnutrition cases to health facilities, recording, water, hygiene and sanitation, awareness techniques for behavioural change.
The training was followed by nutrition screening campaigns simultaneously conducted in Magtaa Lahjar and Tintane. The campaigns enabled the identification and registration of 2,000 beneficiaries (i.e. children from 6 to 23 months old, pregnant and lactating women). 1,933 beneficiaries out of the targeted 2,000 beneficiaries benefited from the distribution of enriched food. The screening activities were complemented by awareness campaigns to promote good nutrition practices and behavioural change. A total of 1,400 households (8,400 people) were reached by the promotion of good hygienic practices.