Minimal (IPC Phase 1) Food Insecurity in all wilayas

Minimal food insecurity (IPC Phase 1) is expected throughout the country from October to May 2017, as was recently confirmed by the Cadre Harmonise workshop. Only the west of the agropastoral zone (moughataa de Moudjeria, de Magta Lahjar, de Monguel et M’Bout) is currently in Stress (IPC Phase 2), as a result of a deficit in agricultural production caused by of insufficient and irregular rains.

Expected rain fed cereal production, as published by the CILSS-FAO-FEWS NET-WFP et Government joint mission, is slightly above the five year average (3 percent). The ongoing harvests since October reinforce the availability of food for households through consumption of their own agricultural production, and will limit the need for poor households to purchase food until May (even though markets are well stocked with imported foods), like an average year. 

Pastoral conditions are satisfactory in all wilayas. Localized pasture deficits will be filled by normal internal transhumance to neighboring zones, thus limiting external transhumance. The level of herd reproduction is like a usual year, which is keeping animal prices higher and offering households an availability of milk that will remain at the average through May. 

The resurgence of locust infestations, although under control, and the lack of concerted anti-avian control between Mauritania and its neighbors, are factors of large losses in flood recession crops (which are harvested from February to March) and may lead to a deterioration in food security in the Senegal River Valley and in the agropastoral zone, in which is concentrated the majority of the flood-recession crops that are currently in the tilling stage.