World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Colombian refugees find their first country of asylum in Ecuador. This Food Security Analysis report focuses on the situation that both host and guest communities face regarding Food Security. Colombian refugees are spread throughout Ecuador and there is an increase demand of services, which are already not enough for host communities to cover their needs. The report focuses in 135.000 persons in need of international protection (PNPI Spanish acronym) – number that comes from the Government of Ecuador and UNHCR, and of which 55% are undocumented.
The report concludes that in Sucumbíos, 55% of 27.500 Colombian PNPI is food insecure; in Carchi - Imbabura (19.500 Colombians) the percentage is 44% and in Esmeraldas - Santo Domingo (15.500) the rate is 34%.
Regarding nutritional status, 14,3% of children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition (following WHO classification: acceptable), but there is 48% of anaemia.

Find out more on the host and refugees situation in the report below.

This assessment was done as an intial evaluation of the current food security situation in the country.

Food Security Assessment in the areas affected by floods in Ecuador (from January to April 2008), found that especially the price of basic foods (rice, corn, cassava, potato, noodles and oil) had suffered significant increases of up to 100%.