This operation has been extended until 20 March 2010 as per Budget revision 906 (see below).
This EMOP aims to prevent deterioration in the food security of people affected by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
By supplementing the government-supplied food rations, WFP food assistance will increase the energy intake of distributed food to 99 percent and 88 percent of the daily energy requirements (kcal) for vulnerable and non vulnerable groups respectively in the affected areas over a period of six months.
Throughout the areas traversed by the hurricanes, food warehouses were damaged and food was lost. WFP intends to supply temporary storage facilities to Isla de la Juventud and other most affected municipalities of the country.
In addition, because vulnerable groups in the hardest-hit areas are often unable to cook and the collective cooking facilities that serve them are damaged, WFP intends to supply liquid gas stoves.
The Cuban Government has stated that the recovery of food production to pre-hurricane levels will take about six months. It is during this period that WFP intends to lend its support. During this time, the Government will prioritise the planting of short-cycle crops and hydroponic varieties in order to increase food availability in the short-term.
This EMOP comes in the wake of IR-EMOP 10776, which assured an immediate response to the worst affected area Isla de la Juventud.
Immediate food support was provided via WFP food airlifts as well as bilateral donations from Russia, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, China, Honduras and others.
Partial funding to start up this EMOP has been secured from two CERF grants. These grants are part of the UN system’s comprehensive response and will be followed by a Joint Plan of Action for Post-hurricane Rehabilitation in Cuba.
It is expected that, if no further hurricanes affect Cuba, the Government with its own resources and with the assistance of the international community will be able to restore the main sources of food supply to the population. Thus it is foreseen that WFP emergency food assistance will no longer be required beyond March 2009.
This EMOP is in line with WFP Strategic Objective (SO) 1 in that it aims to protect the livelihoods of those affected by hurricanes Gustav and Ike and contributes to Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 1, 4 and 5 (1).
