In the wake of the 2011 drought in the country, the UN System in The Gambia has announced its commitment to provide immediate humanitarian support and recovery assistance to over 300,000 vulnerable persons in the most affected 19 districts, out of the 25 affected areas of the country. This response begins in April 2012 and will cover the length of the lean season, from March to September 2012.
“We should be ready at all times to manage both present and future climate-related risks to ensure that the vulnerable are protected from hunger and disease. The
The UN System responded to the call of the
Four key areas identified for priority interventions by the UN are: Food Security and Nutrition; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Health interventions, including HIV and the prevention of disease outbreaks; and Rehabilitation of the productive capacity of those affected.
To date, the UN System in The Gambia has mobilized a total of US$ 4.8 million through the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and contributions from the different UN Agencies. These funds are required to urgently respond to the livelihood and health constraints of the vulnerable populations, in particular, children, women, and farmers as well as livestock.
Erratic rains in 2011 resulted in a significant drop in crop production, which left poor farming households with a maximum of three months food supply to sustain them until the next harvest. Many households and communities are forced to survive on just one meal a day while selling off their livestock and eating seeds and grains, initially set aside for the next planting season.
More than 67,000 children under the age of five, over 26,000 pregnant and lactating women, and over a quarter of a million farmers are affected.
The UN System will continue to work hand in hand with other aid organisations in the country to mitigate this emergency, it announced in a statement.
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