Food & Agriculture Sector Team Update

1. Food & Agriculture Sector Team Update 18 September 2004

2. General Observations • Shortage of food stocks at household level • People suffering from less or no income at household level to buy food • Inadequate labour opportunities due to low level cultivation work, inundation or stagnation of water in low lying pockets

3. GoB Food Relief Distribution • 2004/05 Allocation 100,000 MT • GR distribution to 4.750 million families in 41 districts affected 47,500 MT • VGF in to 959,300 families in 11 erosion affected districts 9,593 MT • VGF i) 2.500 million 25,000 MT ii) 2.500 million 25,000 MT (10 Kg per family per month) • FFW activities in 52 districts 40,000 MT

4. NGOs Food Relief Distribution • National / International NGOs 18,738 MT • No of families: 1,043,200 Rice 13,927 MT • Ration Scale: 1kg per family per day • Other commodities: Oil, Pulses, Salt, Fortified Biscuits • 35 NGOs involved in food relief distribution

5. WFP EMOP • Total Food 191,000 tons US$ 74 million • 158 Upazilas in 19 districts in four phases • First two phase included in Flash Appeal • October in 6 districts 903,800 households • November in 5 districts 900,100 households • December in 5 districts 607,000 households • Commodities: Rice/wheat, Fortified Biscuits, Blended Food

6. Monitoring of Food Distribution • Existing VGF Mechanism -Union VGF committees prepare lists of beneficiaries -Army personnel verifies accuracy -GoB Upazila staff ensures appropriate distributions • Upazila committees to monitor and report on distributions