World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

North-east monsoon rains began in mid-November 2010 resulting in severe precipitations in Northern, Eastern, North Central, Central and North Western Provinces. The rainfall reintensified in December and January caused heavy flooding, limited physical accessibility, severely damaged crops and major displacement. Lives and livelihoods of an estimated 1 million persons were affected. The 12 districts of Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Trincomalee, Ratnapura, Matara, Kilinochchi, Polonnaruwa, Mullaitivu and Ampara are flood affected at varying degrees.

Against this background, rapid inter-agency teams with representatives from OCHA, UNDP, WFP, and ILO conducted rapid assessments in the flood affected districts. Disaster Management Center (DMC) and District Secretariats and relevant line departments joined as government partners in the rapid assessment.

This bulletin describes the food security situation and food supply of the country. The essential food items including rice, sugar, flour, dhal are still sold by private traders at high cost in the open market.

These bulletins assess the food security and nutrition situation in poor and vulnerable households in Jaffna.