CERF allocates $2 million for emergency food assistance to vulnerable people affected by food insecurity in Tajikistan

School children in Tajikistan [Photo: IRIN]

13 October 2008: In 2008 Tajikistan experienced its worst winter in 25 years causing breakdowns in the country’s aged energy and water supply systems, damaging crops and reducing livestock herds. Many health centres were forced to close because of below-freezing temperatures or lack of access to water. Against the backdrop of a global food crisis, significant food, agriculture and livestock losses were incurred.

To reduce infant and child mortality, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is providing micronutrient supplements and therapeutic foods for 2,000 malnourished children.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is meeting the food needs of 60,000 people by supplying food rations to severely insecure people in Tajikistan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is training local health officials in emergency management of malnutrition, while the health system is being strengthened to better monitor malnutrition cases.  

[Last Update: 24 November 2008]

CERF allocates $ 400,000 to controlling the locust outbreak in Tajikistan

Pesticides are being used to combat the locust outbreak and contributing to food security [Photo: FAO]

18 April 2008: The 2008 locust outbreak in Tajikistan covers 18 provinces and is significantly higher than in previous years. This creates a serious additional constraint to household food security, which was already undermined by the on-going compound crisis in the country. Furthermore, locust outbreaks create a risk in the Central Asia region, with locusts from Tajikistan infesting neighbouring Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and vice versa.

The CERF allocation to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is contributing to reducing the risk of further outbreaks by delivering pesticides, surveying the infested areas, as well as mobilizing and training local communities. The project, in support of the Government of Tajikistan’s efforts to halt the infestation, is benefiting over 2.2 million people whose crops and livelihoods are at risk. 

   
[Last Update: 13 May 2008]

CERF allocates US$ 5.2 million for humanitarian relief to people affected by a food and electricity crisis

19 February 2008: Abnormally cold weather conditions in Tajikistan, causing heavy snow fall and frozen rivers, has damaged agriculture and critical infrastructure, leading to drastic energy shortage and severely affecting the health, lives and livelihoods of two million of people in Tajikistan. Low agricultural harvests due to hail storms, drought and locust invasion combined with current increased fuel and food prices have left an estimated 2 million people in need of humanitarian food rations during one of the coldest winters in recent history. The lack of energy and water supply in majority of maternity hospitals is resulting in poor prenatal and neonatal care services and health centres are facing frequent power failures and black outs.

Emergency assistance to families affected by the food crisis in Tajikistan [Photo: FAO]

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is utilizing CERF funds to obtain fuel oil to ensure that the electrical power and heat generating facilities in Dushanbe have sufficient supplies of fuel oil to provide essential services to 1.2 million persons. In addition, a combination of water tankering and key repairs to water supply systems is being implemented by UNDP and will ensure water supply to a large number of urban residents in Dushanbe, Kurgan Tube and Khujent.

Through another CERF grant the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is providing essential life saving drugs and basic equipment to public health centres and maternity hospitals in Khatlon, Sogd Oblasts and Region of Republican Subordination (RRS). The project is also providing life-saving baby blankets to maternity hospitals in RRS, Khatlon Oblast.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is using CERF funds to run a feeding programme providing emergency assistance to nearly 200,000 people affected by the food crisis. 2,745 metric tonnes of basic food commodity rations will be provided with the objective of reducing mortality, and protect livelihoods of most vulnerable families.

A CERF allocation is allowing the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that key priority health facilities receive sustained energy supplies enabling them to maintain life-saving health services. WHO is mobilizing equipment and supplies to health centres and supporting logistics and energy supply lines. 

[Last Update: 26 February 2008]