The progressive improvement in food security experienced by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) between 2001 and 2005 has been reversed in recent years, and the country’s reliance on external food supplies is again increasing.
In 2007, domestic food availability dropped significantly due to summer flooding and reduced external assistance and imports. For the 2007-2008 marketing year (November/October), FAO has estimated the cereal deficit to be 1.66 million tons - the largest food gap since 2000-2001.
The country has also suffered the effects of the global commodity crisis, with rampant increases in market prices for staple foods and fuel.
The WFP/FAO Rapid Food Security Assessment (RFSA) of June 2008 concluded that food availability, accessibility and utilization deteriorated sharply between 2007 and 2008. The continued constraints on the agricultural sector - further compounded this year by fertilizer shortages - mean that food shortages are likely to extend into the 2008/09 agricultural season.
The impact of food shortages has been unevenly divided amongst the population, with urban households in areas of low industrial activity being the most affected. These groups have been hard hit by higher food prices, reductions in public food rations as well as lower employment and salaries caused by industrial recession.
Vulnerable groups including young children, pregnant and lactating women and elderly people remain particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition due to their particular dietary needs.
This Emergency Operation is consistent with the findings of the RFSA, which recommended that emergency food assistance be provided to the most vulnerable groups and geographical areas to prevent a further deterioration in the health and nutritional status. The overall strategy will be to meet the urgent food needs of the population while simultaneously improving nutritional quality over the medium-term.
The operation will provide comprehensive and well-targeted food assistance to foodinsecure populations through mother child health nutrition activities; feeding of primary school children, elderly people and other vulnerable groups; and food for community development activities. The operation is in line with WFP’s new Strategic Plan (2008-2011) and its Strategic Objectives 1, 3 and 4, and supports United Nations Millennium Development Goals 1, 4, 5 and 7.
It remains clear that, in the immediate-term, the agriculture sector alone will not be able to meet national food requirements and that external assistance will be required. Humanitarian assistance will also need to be complemented by more comprehensive interventions aimed at improving agricultural production. If conditions permit and should resources be forthcoming, WFP will reduce humanitarian aid after this emergency operation and return to the recovery/development-oriented programme commenced with the PRRO.
