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Senegal

WFP Senegal Country Brief, February 2018

Attachments

In Numbers

  • 104.188 mt of food assistance distributed

  • US$ 391,334 cash-based transfers made

  • US$ 13.5 million for six months (March-Aug 2018) net funding requirements, representing 89.4% of total budget needs

Operational Updates

• Country Director mission to the north of Senegal:
From 25-27 February, in connection with the Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA), WFP Senegal Country Director visited Podor and Matam departments in northern Senegal. These departments are part of the Sahel region currently experiencing a food and pastoralist crisis. The WFP delegation witnessed first hand how local populations, heavily depending on livestock and farming, were affected by the effect of climate change and an early lean season likely to last at least six months from March. Local authorities, operational partners and affected communities all testified about the deterioration of the food security situation. WFP is preparing to support the Government of Senegal’s response plan (PUSA) with targeted food assistance and nutritional interventions.

• School meals: A total of 158,835 schoolchildren received school meals in February. In addition, WFP Senegal participated in the continental forum hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe, under the theme “Realising African Child Full Potential Through Effective Home-Grown School Feeding”. The forum was chaired by the Education Minister and attended by representatives of over 30 African countries and various stakeholders who shared best practices on home-grown school feeding. Participants included WFP, AU commission and UNESCO. Senegal was cited as an example for the implementation of innovative financing mechanisms, including WFP food vouchers and government allocations to schools.