Photo credit: Top – Ultima Hora The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this document do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the Humanitarian Country Team.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

Honduras: Drought

26 September 2014 Prepared by Humanitarian Country Team

Situation overview ........................... 3

Scope of the crisis ........................... 5

Response considerations................ 7

Gaps in the response ...................... 7

Consequences of not responding .. 8

Coordination architecture ............... 8

The strategy and strategic objectives ..................................... 10

Preliminary cluster plans ............... 11

Drought in Honduras is affecting nearly one million people (186,311 families) in 165 municipalities, of which around 372 throusand (72,400 families) are in need of humanitarian assistance. Families with most urgent needs are small subsistence producers and landless labourers - people who are extremely vulnerable with too few resources to cope with food insecurity, water scarcity and declining revenues. The drought was predicted since February. The government has taken important first steps to provide initial protection, while the international community has been working in the country to reduce medium and long-term vulnerabilities. This is the country’s worst drought in ten years. The size and complexity of the current humanitarian situation requires a significant and immediate response, focused on the most vulnerable population to avoid serius consequences to their health and living conditions.

$ 13,2 million requested (US$)

Requirements by cluster (US$)

372 thousand

persons in need as of September 2014 (in 64 prioritized municipalities)

154 thousand

persons targeted for international assistance as of September 2014

65%

of 64 prioritized municipalities´ total population

27%

of 64 prioritized municipalities´total population

Source: XXXX

9

1

2

1

Food Security and Emergency…

Nutrition

Water Sanitation and Hygiene

Health

PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN Honduras

2

Source: Humanitarian Country Team, Government The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

Honduras PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN

3

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The impact of drought in Central America is unprecedented, affecting more than half a million families in the region (about 2.5 million people). Honduras is the second country most affected with over 186,000 families affected (930,000 people) in 165 municipalities

1.

This year’s prolonged drought is due partly to conditions such as to El Niño phenomenon, although experts have not declared its official presence yet. Additionally, the “canícula”

2 season, a period of decreased rains, started early

and extended into the middle of the regular rainy season.

The lack of rainfall has not only resulted in significant loss of crops but has also reduced employment opportunities and increased prices for basic grains, affecting populations in Honduras’s Dry Corridor.

The affected region, referred to as Dry Corridor, is a group of ecosystems in the tropical dry forest in Central America. Currently, this forest is highly fragmented and the hilly territory is subjected to significant deforestation, with degraded soils due to high erosion and low fertility. There is also extensive use of burning and overgrazing. Adverse climatic effects are further exacerbating the negative impact on soil resources, water, wildlife and people who live there (FAO, 2014).

The population of the Dry Corridor is characterized for its low income, limited access to land for cultivation, limited access to basic health services and education and difficult acces to basic goods (UNDP, SAG). It consists of small basic grain subsistence producers (very few of them with a surplus for sale), day labourers, landless farmers and female-headed households. Female-headed household’s make-up 25.5%

3 of the families in this region.

The average income of a small subsistence producer of basic grain is US$72 a month. If there are contributions from other family members, the average earnings could reach US$122 per month

4.

In relation to water services, UNICEF indicates that about the 82% of the rural population with access to water, 67% are currently facing shortages due to the drought

5. Many rural areas do not have a regular day water supply,

putting at risk the quality of water supplied. Such population is forced to store more water at home, not always in safe conditions and often increasing the creation of mosquito breeding sites. In 2014, the country reported 19,175 cases of dengue, one of the highest in the country’s history, with an added threat posed by the introduction of Chikungunya. The lack of water leads to health problems like the failure of sewerage systems, which increases sanitation risks.

PAHO/WHO estimates based on the weight/size information recently provided by the Secretary of Health for the first half of this year identified problems of acute malnutrition (<-2 Standard Deviation): 7.2 % severe malnutrition (< -3 Standard Deviation): 2.9 %. The most affected age group is 24 - 35 months: <-2 Standard Deviation: 9.9 % and < -3 Standard Deviation: 5.4 % in four departments of the Dry Corridor (a sample of 1,800 children). A specific

Nutritional Survey performed by WFP in the same communities assessed by the EFSA is providing complementary information (still to be analysed) that may change this estimation.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) estimates that the highest losses will be in corn and beans reaching 42% and 48% respectively at national level. In the Dry Corridor these percentages may increase to over 70%.

An Initial Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA) was carried out by the Food Security and Nutrition Technical Unit (UTSAN) of the Social Development Secretary (SEDIS) and the World Food Programme. The

1 Honduras-Situation Report Drought 08-09-14

2 Canícula: Decreased of rainfall that occurs in the middle of the rainy season on the Pacific side of Central

America, between the months of July and August, due to the increasing speed of trade winds and its association with strong low level winds that occur near 1,500 meters high (Magaña and others, 2008). 3 National Demographic and Health Survey – ENDESA 2011-2012

4 Characterization Study of the Dry Corridor in Central America, FAO, 2012

5 Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment for Water and Sanitation developed by the Ministry of Health , SANAA ,

UNICEF , Save the Children, CRS , Global Village Project Association of Municipalities and NASMAR , September 2014

PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN Honduras

4

assessment confirms that families are changing their patterns of food consumption, as eating less preferred foods (70%), reducing the portion sizes (57%), and reducing the number of meals per day (46%). Additionally, they are using coping strategies that negatively affects their livelihood such as: selling small animals (43%), incurring debt (58%) and spending their savings (31%). To a lesser extent, families are selling their domestic (8%) and productive assets (7%)

6. These mechanisms are unsustainable and directly affect the already deteriorated quality of life for

these populations.

The assessment also showed that 27% of the population has unacceptable food consumption (11% poor consumption and 16% limited consumption).

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC7) and EFSA classification place the municipalities

prioritized in the Dry Corridor in Phase 2 (situation of acute food insecurity in stress).

It is important to highlight that the Climate Forum for Central America forewarned that the conditions for the Postrera crop are not favourable as rains in September and October will be insufficient and will jeopardize crop production (Fewsnet, 2014). Consequently, food security, nutrition, water and sanitation and health are expected to continue to deteriorate.

The Government, in anticipation of the effects of drought, formed the Technical Inter-Institutional Committee for Drought Risk Management in May with the participation of the Humanitarian Country Team. The Committee developed a Drought Action Plan for Food Security that was approved in June. In July an Executive Order declaring Emergency Situation in Honduras Dry Corridor was issued to address the effects of water scarcity that impacted the loss of crops and the purchasing power of families in the affected areas. Funding was authorized to provide technical assistance and food aid (about $4.8 million to assist 76,712 families affected by the drought in 64 municipalities of 10 departments); there are still actions from this plan pending to support production activities.

On 8 September, the Government of Honduras, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a second appeal to the international community (G16

8 and other donor countries) seeking support to complement the government’s

emergency response efforts. As a result, the United Nations Resident Coordinator proposed the creation of a Preliminary Response Plan, through the Humanitarian Country Team, to comprehensively address the humanitarian needs of the crisis caused by drought.

From the total population of the 64 municipalities, 372,185 people belong to families of small subsistence producers and landless labourers.

Furthermore, based on ESFA, 27% of the total population of the Dry Corridor has inadequate levels of food consumption. Applying this percentage to the 64 priority municipalities (total population of approximately 571,717) this represents the case for 154,364 people.

6 Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA), UTSAN-SEDIS, WFP, 2014

7 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)

8 The members of G16 are Germany, Canada, Spain, USA, Sweden, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, France and

Switzerland in addition to multilateral organizations (World Bank, BCIE, IDB, IMF, UN System, OAS and European Union).

Honduras PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN

5

People in need and targeted

SCOPE OF THE CRISIS

The drought has mainly affected rural areas in the south and south-west of Honduras. The total population of Honduras is 8,725,000 people. The percentage of the rural population in Honduras is 52%. Of the total rural households, the percentage of families producing basic grains is 67%. The rest of the rural population (33%) is engaged in wage labour and other agricultural and non-agricultural activities.

The Drought Action Plan for Food Security prepared by the Technical Inter-Institutional Committee for Drought Risk Management identified 124 priority municipalities, with 64 considered top priority based on the following variables: incidence of meteorological drought, human development, and production structure.

As of September, Permanent Contingency Commission of Honduras (COPECO) had received emergency reports a total of 186,000 affected families in 165 municipalities.

The preparation of the Preliminary Response Plan uses the prioritization done by the Technical Inter-Institutional Committee for Drought Risk Management based on the following variables: incidence of meteorological drought, human development, and production structure. In a first exercise, the Committee identified 124 municipalities of which 64 were considered priority due to drought.

It is important to highlight that in the prioritize municipalities; the most vulnerable families are small subsistence producers and day labourers (wage labour). Such families with inadequate food consumption levels are part of these 64 municipalities (154,364 people). The drought has impacted water supplies and forced households to ration domestic consumption. This further complicates water quality as only 30% of households in rural zone have chlorination systems.

The 64 priority municipalities are located in ten departments: Comayagua (one municipality), Copan (one municipality), Choluteca (9 municipalities), Paraíso (8 municipalities), Francisco Morazán (11 municipalities), Intibucá (8 municipalities), La Paz (6 municipalities), Lempira (14 municipalities), Ocotepeque (one municipality) and Valle (5 municipalities).

73.805

63.735

61.410

54.410

40.460

31.970

21.630

13.460

6.305

4.900

28.031

25.660

27.691

20.671

16.240

15.312

7.243

7.541

3.651

2.360

Lempira

Francisco Morazan

Choluteca

Intibuca

El Paraiso

Valle

La Paz

Comayagua

Copan

Ocotepeque

in need

targeted

PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN Honduras

6

0

20.000

40.000

60.000

80.000

100.000

120.000

Targeted persons by Department

Total population of 64 prioritized departments

Persons in need identified by COPECO in 64 prioritized departments

Persons with unacceptable levels of food consumption targeted for the response

3.6

76

1.8

49

13.6

35

12.9

48

8.0

58

10.4

54

3.7

26

13.9

88

1.1

66

7.7

65

3.8

65

1.8

02

14.0

56

12.7

12

8.1

46

10.2

17

3.5

18

14.0

43

1.1

94

7.5

46

94

4

45

8

2.6

06

2.8

72

1.6

40

2.4

85

77

1

3.3

80

28

0

1.6

33

927

428

4.6

97

4.1

74

2.5

87

2.6

34

1.0

30

3.3

94

244

2.4

44

C O M A Y A G U A C O P A N C H O L U T E C A F R A N C I S C O M O R A Z Á N

E L P A R A Í S O I N T I B U C A L A P A Z L E M P I R A O C O T E Q P E Q U E V A L L E

TARGETED PERSONS DATA DISAGREGGATED BY SEX AND AGE GROUP

Women Men Children under 5 years Persons over 60 years

Honduras PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN

7

RESPONSE CONSIDERATIONS

The response must consider logistics in rural areas with no access roads. It must also take the necessary precautions regarding rise in prices that have already been observed in the domestic market.

In reference to the implementation of actions, respect for humanitarian principles should also be emphasized so that humanitarian needs are prioritized over any political considerations, or any discrimination to certain population groups. In this regard, it will be important to include coordinated advocacy work for the implementation of a comprehensive approach by all humanitarian actors.

GAPS IN THE RESPONSE

The most likely scenario in the Dry Corridor is a progressive increase in both the severity and the number of families affected by food insecurity. The prolonged dry season threatens the Postrera planting season, not only by having delayed the planting, but also because rain ended earlier than usual in some areas and, the crop cycle will not be completed. This scenario is likely to increase the number of families affected, and extend the period of food insecurity until the next harvest in August 2015.

If there is insufficient rainfall, water supplies will be drastically affected, jeopardizing the health of the Dry Corridor inhabitants. Similarly, the limited availability of water adversely affects their sanitation, including proper use and maintenance of latrines and cleanliness of houses and surroundings areas.

Major gaps were found in the areas of food security, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and health.

As part of the activities identified by the Technical Inter-Institutional Committee for Drought Risk Management and based on the declaration of emergency issued July, the Government allocated 100 million Lempiras ($4.8 million) to 64 municipalities. Since July to September 16, food distribution reached 105,749 families in 95 municipalities with food rations considered as relief for 45 days.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), as an immediate support measure to production, and taking into account the rainfall forecasts from the National Weather Service delivered seeds and fertilizers vouchers for a Primera planting (17,000 corn and 35,000 beans). An additional 46,000 vouchers for the Postrera planting of seeds and fertilizers were planned for delivery but will not be on time. This means that most of the farmers will not receive agriculture assistance.

In food security 372,000 people are in need in 64 municipalities, of which 30,871 families (154.355 people) are in the most urgent need taking into account EFSA findings.The Red Humanitaria (Humanitarian Country Team) is responding to the crisis in coordination with COPECO. WFP mobilized 367 MT of food to assist more than 39,000 people. Honduras Red Cross (supported by Swiss Red Cross and COSUDE), delivered food kits to 2,713 families. ADRA delivered food kits to 1,270. CARITAS allocated US$15,000 to provide food assistance to 120 families for 30 days. Action Aid provided basic grains seeds (beans) for Postrera planting to 24 families for US$2,000. World Vision is using committed funds from its 2014-2015 budget (US$50,000) to benefit families in 8 departments.UNDP has allocated $100,000 to support the Government in developing needs identification and recovery of livelihoods in the affected population. FAO, through the Special Programme for Food Security (PESA) and the regional project OSRO/RLA/304/BEL, continues to provide technical assistance to affected families in the intervention areas. OXFAM has managed institutional funds for field information collection. GOAL is conducting an EMMA (Emergency Market Mapping) in 4 departments.

In consequence, coverage of food assistance during this first two months have reached approximately 120,000 families with governmental support and the contribution of the Red Humanitaria (Humanitarian Country Team) but there is no governmental resources for the coming months which leaves a major gap. Emergency livelihoods have not been adequately addressed and there is a major gap for the coming months.

There are also other initiatives focused on risk reduction and recovery that will be very important in the medium and long term. However the immediate needs in food security are not being adequately met.

PAHO/WHO and the Institute of Nutrition for Central America and Panama (INCAP) have helped the National Programme for Food Security and Nutrition of the Ministry of Health process and analyse data on the nutritional status in the Dry Corridor. They also provided the Ministry of Health with $7,000 for the response to school populations under the framework of a project that addresses neglected diseases in the departments of Choluteca and Valle. There is no specific governmental drought response strategy on health at the moment, considering the very limited resources in rural areas.

PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN Honduras

8

Support to the Ministry of Health is required for health services in vulnerable rural areas that have no adequate human and material resources to cope with the nutritional care of children under 5 years (19,559 children), who are more sensitive to nutritional deterioration due to reduced food intake and diarrheal diseases related to poor hygiene and water quality. Moreover, in the Dry Corridor, it is essential to improve nutritional surveillance to provide a prompt response in accordance with the recommendations of PAHO/WHO’s growth standards.

In water, sanitation and hygiene, a joint assessment between the Ministry of Health and the Water and Sanitation working group identified the need for houses disinfection programs, health education and access to safe water for a population of 27,296 people. Vector control is needed because population is forced to store more water at home not always in safe conditions. Therefore household breeding sites for mosquitoes carrying diseases such as dengue, malaria, leishmaniasis and Chikungunya represent an additional risk to the population. An increase in cases of dengue in the Dry Corridor has been observed this year.

CONSEQUENCES OF NOT RESPONDING

In the most vulnerable areas affected by drought (as of September of this year), families are decreasing their food consumption and even reducing the number of meals per day, along with lack of access to water for drinking and other uses. WFP’s EFSA identified 11% of the population with poor food consumption, 16% with limited consumption, representing 27% of the population with unacceptable food consumption. Poor food consumption is almost four times higher than the 2013 rates for the same period.

Vulnerable families have a very fragile balance in their survival strategies and tend to sell goods and assets and/or migrate in search of income in precarious conditions. The EFSA found that 43% of families are selling their animals and 58% are borrowing money in the Dry Corridor. These survival strategies combined with rising malnutrition levels, set a very unfavourable situation for the next stage.

In the areas most affected by drought, Postrera planting for August 2014 has been very limited, and forecasts do not predict adequate conditions for a good harvest.

Therefore, there is no prospect of short-term recovery and a consequent urgent humanitarian situation in terms of lack of food and sanitation to be met.

The lack of humanitarian assistance in this context could generate a higher level of morbidity and mortality in a population without resources to cope with a situation of lack of food and income that can be extended at least until the next harvest in August 2015 (month of the first harvest of the year), provided that medium-term strategies will have improved conditions.

COORDINATION ARCHITECTURE

The Humanitarian Country Team has co-leadership between the Resident Coordinator and the Commissioner of COPECO.

For this emergency the Government established the Technical Inter-Institutional Committee for Drought Risk Management, comprised of members of the National Risk Management System (SINAGER), coordinated by COPECO with the participation of the Humanitarian Country Team. It also includes the participation of local authorities, state institutions, churches and organizations/agencies working in the sector of food security and agriculture. This Committee defined the response strategy, which is being implemented in coordination with the mayors of the affected municipalities through the Association of Municipalities of Honduras (AMHON).

To facilitate information sharing and effective coordinated response actions, the Humanitarian Country Team set up sector-based groups to analyse and plan the response with participation of state sectors. Sectorial priorities for this emergency are being coordinated as follows: WFP and FAO lead food security, PAHO / WHO leads health, PAHO/WHO leads nutrition and UNICEF leads water, sanitation and hygiene. Participation includes agencies, programs and projects, national and international NGOs, Red Cross and government entities who are part of the Humanitarian Country Team.

Honduras PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN

9

Nationwide Coordination Scheme for Drought Management

NOTE SINAGER: National Risk Management System COPECO: Permanent Contingency Commission of Honduras SEDIS-UTSAN: Social Development Secretary/ Food Security and Nutrition Technical Unit SAG-DICTA: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock -Directorate of science and technology SESAL: Secretary of Health SANAA: National service of aqueducts and sewerage systems

PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN Honduras

10

THE STRATEGY AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The Preliminary Response Plan strategy seeks to respond to short-term humanitarian needs, given that longer-term efforts are already underway through risk reduction strategies and increasing the resilience of the affected population.

The overall goal of this plan is to reduce the negative impact of drought on food access, water, sanitation and hygiene and protecting the nutritional status and health of the most vulnerable populations.

Reduce levels of food insecurity for the most vulnerable populations affected by the drought in the 64 prioritized municipalities, thereby decreasing malnutrition and negative strategies of under-capitalization and the breakdown of the family structure.

Improve sanitary conditions for the most vulnerable populations affected by the drought in the 64 prioritized municipalities based on access to secure water, sanitation, nutritional recovery and the provision of quality health services

Honduras PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN

11

PRELIMINARY CLUSTER PLANS

Food Security

Contact Information: Herbert Yañes (herbert.yanes@wfp.org; +504-99822543), Gerardo Reyes (gareyesn@yahoo.com: +504-22367321)

Agricultural losses directly affect the food security of small subsistence producers and day labourers. One of the main consequences of drought is the reduction in food consumption along with the adoption of negative strategies such as selling productive and domestic assets and migrating in order to secure minimum subsistence incomes. In this sector, the plan aims to provide assistance through conditional food and cash and voucher transfers for the implementation of productive activities as means of recovering short-term livelihoods and improving food consumption for 30,871 families (154,355 people) severely affected by drought and, with very limited capacities to recover. Food assistance has been calculated for a minimum of 90 days, although upcoming data on Postrera and the completion of ESAE will define more precisely whether the food assistance period should be extended or not. The main sector objectives are:

1: Food, voucher or cash in exchange for labour related to the recovery of livelihoods: restoration of farms and crops, diversification of small family crops, managing and conservation of soil and water - including rainwater harvesting and small irrigation systems.

2: Food in exchange for training in agriculture and health promotion.

3: Implementation of integrated family farms.

4: Technical advice and market capitalization of large and small scale livestock

Health

Contact Information: Franklin Hernández (hernanfr@paho.org; +504-89863738)

Limited access to water caused by the drought is negatively affecting human consumption and hygiene as well as increasing health risks, particularly acute diarrheal diseases. Diminishing food consumption weakens the organism to combat possible infections. Water storage, in both basins and barrels, increases the risk of vector-transmitted illnesses, which are widespread in the Dry Corridor.

Rural health services lack the capacity to satisfy the needs of the affected population. Furthermore, a shortage in 50% of the basic medicines has been reported. The humanitarian response in this sector focuses on strengthening of the health services, early detection and management of cases of dehydration due to diarrhoea, and the promotion of health in the 64 prioritized municipalities. The main objectives are:

1: Strengthening of health services in areas most affected by drought in order to increase response and early

detection capabilities.

2: Strengthening epidemiologic surveillance in morbidity, nutrition and water quality

3: Awareness-raising campaigns on the promotion of health and water quality

$9 million Funding requirement

$1.1 million

Funding requirement

PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PLAN Honduras

12

Nutrition

Contact Information: Ligia Yllescas (yllescasl@paho.org; +504-22216091), Renato Chavarría (rchavarría@unicef.org: +504-94605688)

Chronic malnutrition indexes in the most vulnerable areas affected by drought are high: 38.4% of the children under five years old. Acute malnutrition is a threat in the most vulnerable areas. Over 19,559 children are exposed to the risk of malnutrition as a direct consecuence of drought. Food insecurity will have a very negative impact especially on children under five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. The main activities in this sector include assistance to approximately 5,000 families, preventive assistance to children under five years and the strengthening of nutritional surveillance in the 64 municipalities prioritized under this plan. The main objectives are as follows:

1: Nutritional surveillance to timely identify acute malnutrition cases.

2: Preventive assistance to children under five years old exposed to the risk of malnutrition, through supplementary

rations of fortified food.

3: Nutritional assistance to families with children under five and pregnant women affected by acute and severe

malnutrition through health units.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Contact Information: Renato Chavarría (rchavarria@unicef.org; +504-94605688)

The drought has significantly limited decreased access to water for the most vulnerable rural populations, for their consumption, production and hygiene purposes. Rural sanitation systems have been also affected. Mechanisms to improve the quality and quantity of available water and to improve hygiene and sanitation practices are proposed for approximately 25,000 people through the following objectives:

1: Ensure the quality of water through domestic filters (membrane, ceramic), provide and improve chlorinators and

ensure the operation of portable water treatment plants.

2: Awareness-raising on hygiene habits: hand washing, housecleaning.

3: Disinfection, restoration and improvement of water wells.

4: Support families to construct latrines.

5: Training of water committees.

6: Promotion of adequate use and no wasting of water. Social mobilization.

$ 1.1 million

Funding requirement

$ 2 million Funding requirement