Continued rain failures driving food insecurity in pastoral zones

• Despite the ongoing El Niño that drove above-average rainfall in much of the region, the October to February Heys/Dadaa rains in Djibouti were well below average, negatively impacting water resources in Southeast Pastoral, Northwest Pastoral and Obock Pastoral livelihood zones. Livestock body conditions and productivity remain poor due to consecutive below-average rainfall seasons, further reducing household income and purchasing capacity. Approximately 40,000 people are estimated to be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 30,000 in Stressed (IPC Phase 2).  

• The March to May Diraac/Sugum rains are forecast to be average to below-average and will only slightly regenerate pasture. As a result, livestock body conditions and productivity are expected to remain below average.  With limited income, many poor households will face difficulty accessing food through market purchases. The lean season is expected to start a month earlier in May.

• As of March 21, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 33,340 people fled Yemen and arrived in Djibouti over the past year. Many of the refugees, most of which are hosted in Obock region and Djibouti City, have few income-earning opportunities, limiting food access. As a result, many refugee households remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).

For more detailed analysis, see the Remote Monitoring Update for February – September 2016.