Highlights
Rural communities of Cunene and Huila provinces have food stocks for less than 6 weeks.
400,000 people are estimated to be in need of food and inkind assistance;
High school drop-outs are increasing due to lack of water and transhumance over the past two months.
1.2mPeople affected
585,000 People targeted for humanitarian assistance
Situation Overview
In 2015 the El Niño-induced drought affected 1.5 million people in Angola; the most affected provinces are Cunene (755.930 people) Huila (205.507 people.) and Namibe (177.627) (source: Civil Protection National Committee-CNPC). In the three provinces SAM rates of November 2015 were among 4,7 and 7.3% and GAM rates among 15.3 and 21.3% (source:
MoH). Agricultural and livestock losses were estimated to be about $242.5m In 2016 the agricultural production deficit is estimated at upwards of 40 per cent, with an estimated 1.2 million people affected during the first third of the year and SAM rates among 3,75 and 5% in the three provinces (MoH).
An estimated 90 per cent of affected people live in rural areas and are dependant on agriculture and livestock, with limited access to safe water and electricity, and long distances from health centres, schools and markets. The situation is exacerbated by the economic crisis and reduced imports; reflected in the significant increase in staple food prices and lack of certain basic commodities.
The food insecurity is of concern to local authorities, with a large number of livestock sold daily to buy staple food, and limited grains and beans stocks, almost all of which have been sold across the border in Namibia to procure other goods. This is occurring especially in Cunene Province and some municipalities of Huila Province.
The situation is critical for pastoralists, who have been in transhumance the past weeks; as for small farmers who are facing lack of draught animals to plough their fields in preparation for the next planting season. Lack of water is visible and Civil Protection has distributed water tanks of five to ten thousand litres in all municipalities of Cunene and carries on a weekly water-filling program.
People are forced to trek long distance to get water, and this is affecting livelihood income activities and school dropout rates. Severe acute malnutrition rates remain high in remote rural communities. The role and capacity of community mobilizers must be strengthened to report malnutrition cases.
Yellow fever vaccination campaigns have been conducted in six municipalities in Huila and Cunene provinces, reaching more than 900,000 people since May 2016. The vaccination campaign will recommence on 20 September in Cunene and Namibe provinces.