The humanitarian situation across southern Africa is one of chronic vulnerability, caused by a complex interaction of factors. Poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition levels are unacceptably high. HIV prevalence rates are amongst the highest in the world and the consequences of this are felt most by poor households, notably women, children and the elderly. The global financial crisis has also hit hard in many countries, affecting conditions from the macro to the household levels. As employment opportunities decline and remittances and household incomes fall, input and fuel prices have become unaffordable for many rural households. These factors have eroded household coping capacity and have increased vulnerability. As a consequence, even a relatively small shock, such as a localized flood or a mid-season dry spell, could trigger a major crisis for affected households.

Agriculture and agricultural-related activities constitute the backbone of both household livelihood systems and national economies in southern Africa. Most agriculture is rainfed and is therefore highly susceptible to variations in seasonal rainfall performance and the likely impact of climate change. With uneven rainfall throughout the region, even in good rainfall years, parts of the region will risk drought or poorly-timed rainfall, which increases vulnerability and food insecurity of poor rural families in affected areas. As seen in the past, serious and widespread drought or, conversely, flooding and/or cyclones can rapidly spark a major humanitarian disaster and the incidence and intensity of these extreme climatic events is on the increase.

Food Security Situation Update and FAO Flood Executive Briefs:
FAO with WFP and FEWS Net compiles a monthly update of the food security situation updates for each country in the Region looking at the: agricultural situation, food availability, food access/prices, nutrition and food utilization, and any general comments. The countries covered by the analysis are : Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe

In addition to this FS Situation Update FAO prepared a specific analysis of the impact of the floods on the food security situation and the FAO’s responses to the floods. This allowed for a clear communication of the situation and to help inform stakeholder on FAO’s activities.

FAO REOSA is an active member of the RVAC providing support to the RVAC and particularly National VACs to improve their capacity in analyzing the food security situation and better linking their analysis to response. There are a number of projects in the development stages with the RVAC including a project to develop a VAC guide and process to profile chronic vulnerability (using existing VAC information) and use of the analysis to develop a DRR response strategy by decision makers.

Surge capacity and support RIASCO:

REOSA as part of it Regional coordination mandate supports RIASCO (Regional Inter-agency Standing Committee Office) led by OCHA, and FAO Country Offices with technical support and surge capacity in case of emergencies. During the flooding in 2011 FAO’s Regional Food Security officer supported the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) in Lesotho and the Joint Needs Assessment in Northern Namibia.