WFP revelations came against the backdrop of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA)’s findings that the flash floods, challenges caused by the Russia-Ukraine Crisis, poor harvest, the 2021 devastating windstorms, Covid-19, high food prices (inflation), increase in fuel and transportation cost amongst others, as the driving force behind the food and nutritional insecurity, which has exacerbated.
Due to this menace, WFP is therefore already rolling out emergency food assistance to families affected by flood and food insecurity by cash transfers, to ease their condition.
“The latest food security assessment data reveals the worst level of food insecurity and malnutrition in The Gambia, with 207,000 people - approximately 8.6 percent of the population - facing emergency levels of hunger between June and August 2022.”
“Hunger is driven by recurrent flash flooding, poor harvests following the 2021 agricultural season, the socio-economic fallout from the pandemic, and spiralling food, fuel and transport costs linked to the ongoing global upheaval in food and energy markets.”
“The ongoing assistance is funded by the United Nations Central Emergency Respond Fund (UNCERF) and WFP’s Immediate Response Account (IRA) and is delivered in partnership with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).”
“Targeted families were identified by the Government of The Gambia through a joint assessment conducted by NDMA, WFP, and UN partners. Each supported household will receive 2,350 Gambian Dalasis (US$ 43.50) per month for three months.”
“WFP will continue working with its partners and the people of The Gambia to build the resilience of the most vulnerable communities against climate shocks, in addition to enhancing the government’s capacity in disaster management and social protection. To ensure continued lifesaving and resilience-building operations over the next six months, WFP Gambia urgently requires an additional US$ 7.3 million,” it concluded.
