Limited access to and consumption of staple foods for poor and displaced households

Various security incidents continue and complicate the return of displaced households to their areas of origin. According to OCHA, in January 2017 411,785 people were internally displaced and unable to meet essential needs were it not for humanitarian assistance. In most of these households, it is not unusual to observe strong dependence on coping strategies, including begging and skipping meals. For households returning to their area of origin, socio-economic reintegration remains a major challenge as they have lost typical access to their livelihoods.

According to January 2017 mVAM results, local commodity prices increased from November 2016 to January 2017, up 23 percent for cassava in Bambari, and up 63 percent for maize and 20 percent for palm oil in Bouar due to trade and movement restrictions. This limits access to food for poor households. However, there was a decline noted in the price of rice following a more normal seasonal trend with a price decrease of 33 percent in Bangui over the same period.

Crisis (IPC Phase 3) acute food insecurity is expected to continue for IDPs, returnees, many poor resident households, and host households in northwest, south-west, south-east and central regions (Ouham, Ouham Pende, Nana Gribizi, Vakaga, Ouaka) until September 2017 due to the persistence of the security crisis and its effects on the normal functioning of markets and main sources of income and food. In these areas, humanitarian assistance should be maintained to prevent high rates of malnutrition. According to the results of the ENSA national food security assessment conducted in October 2016, the majority of food insecure households were found in Haut Mbomou, Ouham, Ouaka, Lobaye and Basse Kotto prefectures.