Emergency Food Security Response for Drought-Affected Households in EES (CI EA 30-2009 Sudan) The objective to the emergency response is: ‘To mitigate the impact of the current food stress on drought affected households in order to sustain livelihoods and health status of the target population, and to support cultivation of short maturing crops in order to bridge the months until next season’s harvest in 2010’.

Problem:
The food security situation in Eastern Equatoria State (EES) has deteriorated significantly in the last months because of dry spells that affected large parts of the State. This years’ drought comes on top of a poor harvest of last year, resulting in a very low coping capacity of the affected population. The most affected areas in the State are Ikwoto, Greater Kapoeta (Kapoeta East, South, and North), Lafon, and Budi Counties. In an emergency appeal issued by the Governor of EES it was estimated that 800,000 people in the State are in need of assistance. Figures issued by the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) further estimate that 100,000 people are in need of assistance in the area of Ikwoto County alone. While in some areas the hunger will be alleviated partly by second season harvests expected for the end of this year, people in other areas do not expect to harvest anything until July – August 2010 any more.

Planned Response:
An emergency response is proposed to assist the most drought affected areas in EES. The emergency response will encompass food aid to the most vulnerable groups in the communities (Female-Headed Households [FHH], old people, and orphans), FFW activities, provision of vegetable seeds (cowpeas, okra) and sweet potato vines, as well as distribution of seeds of major staple crops (sorghum, sesame, millet).
An estimated percentage of 20% of the food items to be distributed will be used to assist the most vulnerable groups who are not able to work (see the selection criteria under paragraph 3.5 – target groups). The remaining 80% will be used in FFW activities, such as road rehabilitation, bush clearing, construction of security fences around schools and boreholes, etc
Based on various assessments carried out by different agencies concerned with food security in the State, including a baseline assessment conducted by Caritas Switzerland/Luxembourg in Ikwoto County in August 2009, it is clear that the current food emergency situation requires a quick, coordinated and well targeted response in the most affected areas. While food aid should be distributed to the most vulnerable population groups, the project will strongly focus on Food-for-Work (FFW) activities and the distribution of planting materials to encourage food production by affected households. Planned activities include:

?	Distribution of 1,134 MT of food items (cereal, legumes, vegetable oil) to 10,000 beneficiaries; 
-	Food aid for 2,000 persons identified as the most vulnerable in the communities
-	FFW activities targeting 8,000 beneficiaries
?	Distribution of 0.7 MT of seeds (cowpeas, okra), watering cans and sweet potato vines (200 bags) to 1,000 households;
?	Training of beneficiaries on cultivation techniques;
?	Distribution of 12 MT of fast maturing varieties of sorghum, sesame and millet for 3,000 households
Caritas Switzerland/Luxembourg will act as the facilitating agency to support the Catholic Diocese of Torit with the implementation of the project.