World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Guinea Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 176 out of 186 according to the 2012 Human Development Index. Of the country’s approximately 1.6 million people, 69 percent live below the poverty line (US$2 per day), with 33 percent below the extreme poverty line (US$1 per day).The country faced several shocks in 2012, including a coup d'état in April and a temporary disruption of the economy, which led to socio-political disturbances, including repeated strikes in various sectors. 

Guinea Bissau is the fifth largest cashew producer in the world, and 84 percent of the rural population depends on the industry for its livelihood. The 2012 cashew crop was affected by adverse climatic conditions, which decreased production. Additionally, the April coup d’état disrupted exports, and these disruptions, combined with unfavorable market conditions, reduced income from cashew exports significantly for both traders and the government. On the local level, this drop in revenue led to a decline in the purchasing power of households, which negatively affected their access to food. In 2013, the cashew crisis has severely affected household purchasing power, food prices, seed availability and the food security and nutrition situation of vulnerable populations. The most vulnerable  have subsequently developed negative coping strategies that reduce the quality or quantity of food they eat, including skipping a meal, borrowing food or loans from friends or relatives, selling crops, and starting seasonal migration early. 

The latest Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment (CFSVA) was carried out in March 2011 and showed that 20 percent of rural households (179,000) are food insecure, 12 percent moderately food insecure and 8 percent severely food insecure. Food insecurity is mostly related to access and utilization of food rather than availability. Agriculture (including livestock, fisheries and forestry) accounts for 62 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP) and 98 percent of exports, providing income to 85 percent of the population.

In addition to the food security situation, malnutrition is a significant problem in Guinea Bissau, contributing to infant mortality and morbidity. The nutrition situation has deteriorated rapidly in recent months, in part due to food insecurity affecting primarily children 6-59 months. The prevalence of global acute malnutrition among children under five in 2012 was 6.5 percent nationally--an increase from 2010 levels of 6 percent--with large disparities between regions (rates were 9.8 percent in the Bafatá region). According to a 2012 SMART nutrition survey, 14,665 children suffer from acute malnutrition nationally, including 13,194 moderate cases and 1,471 severe. Although these rates are lower than the nutritional emergency threshold, several factors could quickly exacerbate the situation. Chronic malnutrition rate is 27.4%, close to the 30% threshold considered ‘serious’ in Oio Bafatá and Gabu regions. 

According to the Rapid Food Security Assessment carried out in June 2013 by WFP, FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Cashew Nuts Agency and the National Institute of Statistics to respond to the current situation, the emergency operation will target the above mentioned regions to assist a caseload of 89,446 beneficiaries from 12,778 households in the regions of Biombo (sector of Quinhamel), Oio (sectors of Bissora, Farim and Mansaba) and Quinara (sectors of Empada and Tite).

Access to social services–including health, education, water and electricity—remains very limited in Guinea Bissau. In this context, 6 percent of children under five are acutely malnourished, with rates varying between 4 and 8 percent. Chronic malnutrition is estimated at 32 percent, reaching critical levels (above 40 percent) in Oio, Gabu and Cacheu districts. Furthermore, the HIV prevalence in Guinea-Bissau is 2.6 percent, one of the highest rates in West Africa.