Security, safe access to beneficiaries 'key concerns' for food distributions in Mosul - WFP
Highlights
The quantity and quality of food consumed by people in Mosul has deteriorated, according to WFP’s latest mobile assessment. This is due to conflict in western Mosul and lack of purchasing power in eastern Mosul.
Security and safe access to beneficiaries remains a key concern following attacks on WFP distributions in western Mosul at the end of April. WFP continues to monitor the security situation.
In order to treat cases of malnutrition and prevent a rise in malnutrition rates amongst young children, WFP is distributing a nutritional product along with Immediate Response Rations.
Operational Updates
In April 2017, WFP provided assistance in all 18 governorates of Iraq. Over 1.15 million people received Family Food Rations, and 347,000 people received Cash-based Transfers. In addition, 415,000 people in Anbar, Baghdad, Erbil, Kirkuk, Ninewa and Salah al-Din received Immediate Response Rations.
The quantity and quality of food consumed by people in Mosul has deteriorated, according to WFP’s latest mobile assessment. This is due to conflict in western Mosul and lack of purchasing power in eastern Mosul, where markets are functioning but people have little or no money. People in eastern Mosul continue to rely on food assistance from humanitarian organisations and the government as they do not have enough money to buy food in the markets. In western Mosul, families are eating fewer meals, with some limited to only eating bread and vegetables.
Families receiving WFP assistance are increasingly able to meet their food needs without having to resort to negative coping strategies such as skipping meals, with less than four percent of families reported as taking these actions. In addition, and according to WFP monitoring, which also found that beneficiary families across the country have a diverse diet. Across all forms of assistance, women are involved in decision-making over food in a majority of families.
In order to treat cases of malnutrition and prevent a rise in malnutrition rates, WFP is distributing Plumpy’Sup along with Immediate Response Rations. A two-month supply of the nutritional product will be provided to support all children fleeing western Mosul between the ages of six months and five years. Plumpy’Sup is a soft, peanut-butter-like supplementary food that supports the nutritional needs of young children. This intervention comes following reports from WFP’s partner that a higher number of children from western Mosul are suffering from moderately acute malnutrition than expected.