SUPER CYCLONE SIDR 2007 Impacts and Strategies for ... - nirapad

Ministry of Food and Disaster Management
The storm surge swept away or destroyed food storages and ordinary people’s small stockpiles, killed
thousands of animals used for meat and milk, and felled over a million fruit trees. As a result, it had a
worst detrimental effect on people’s daily subsistence, leaving an estimated 4 – 5 million people in
immediate need of food relief across the affected area.
Responses
As of February 05, 2008 the Government distributed 17,290 MT of rice to the affected area by road
or via airdrops. As well as, 4,500 packets dry food, 450 MT dates and 1,200 MT of chickpea also
distributed among the cyclone affected families. In addition, 27,000 food bags were distributed by the
Government in the four worst affected districts. The World Food Programme distributed more than
300 tons of High Energy Biscuits and other food, as well as 430 MT of rice.
Strategies
The identified needs through UN rapid assessment focused on two major aspects: (a) continuation of
emergency relief assistance up to boro rice harvesting season and (b) supporting well being and
livelihood needs of the worst victims. The government together with UN bodies and NGOs will work
together to ensure that the food assistance to the Sidr affected people has a consistency with the
national food market stability.
Short-Term
• Continuing food relief assistance to the form of VGF (2.59 million cards) and GR (2.2 million
people) up to June 2008.
• The Government will commence a special safety net programme -Vulnerable Group Development
(VGD) and Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) to address food shortages among poor and
vulnerable people in the 12 worst affected districts. Under this programme, 15 kg of rice will be
provided against each VGF card on a monthly basis. From a total of 2.59 million cards, 5,000
VGF cards will be distributed in each union or municipality of worst affected four districts. In the
remaining eight districts, 2,500 VGF cards will be provided in each union or municipality. A total
of 790 unions or municipalities will be included under this programme. Under this programme
more than 150,000 tons of rice will be distributed up to end of March 2008.
• Establishing district level monitoring of food security system to ensure that no people is suffering
with starving and subsequent malnutrition.
• Quick national surveillance to find out how many children and mothers are suffering in
malnutrition.
• Following the nutritional survey, ensuring supplementary nutrition support to children and
mothers identified as suffering with malnutrition.
• Special food assistance to ethnic minority, women headed households, female domestic workers,
elderly people having no income support, person with disabilities, sex workers, transgender and
vulnerable children.
• World Food Programme will initiate a food assistance program worth USD 51.8 million, covering
2.2 million beneficiaries in eight districts for six months.
Mid- to Long-Term
The government has identified the need to acquire 1 million metric tons of rice from external markets
as its highest priority. Of this, 500,000 tons are being sought from the international community. In
order not to distort local market prices, international partners are being asked to purchase rice from
abroad and ship it to Bangladesh.
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