Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit

Assessment Report: Koch County, Unity State, South

Sudan, 10 Sept 2014

01 September 2014

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Sector: Food Security and Livelihoods Contact(s): George Bete, George.Bete@rescue.org

Thomas Lay, Thomas.Lay@rescue.org Katrien Ringele, Katrien.Ringele@rescue.org

Data Collection: 14 to 27 August 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report is based on the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) assessment which was conducted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Koch County from the 14

th to the 27

th of August 2014 in

response to the current conflict in South Sudan. The objective was to get an understanding of the effects of the conflict on the affected communities’ food security, livelihoods and well being.

The assessment was conducted in five representative Payams1 of Koch County

2 called; Jaak (Rier),

Boaw, Koch Centre, Mirmir and Ngony. These were identified after a consultative meeting with the Koch County Commissioner and the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SRRA) focal person for Koch. The assessment team managed to conduct a total of five Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and eleven Key Informant interviews (KIIs). The two local markets of Koch and Mirmir which are the only ones showing signs of life at the moment were assessed through which nine traders were interviewed. Observation was vital to cross-check information collected from the interviewees both in the FGDs & KIIs and also to get visual impression of the circumstances and the context. This report, produced with triangulation and analysis of the findings, provides better understanding about the prevailing situation of the affected people with particular focus on FSL in comparison to the pre-conflict era.

Findings presented from all FGDs and some Key Informants (KIs) presented food as the top - most urgent need of the affected families, followed by health and Non Food Items (NFIs). Assessment results reflected that the community is an agro-pastoral economy. Nearly 70% and above 40% of the communities in Koch depend on farming and livestock respectively. Observations and information gathered reflect that most livelihoods activities have been affected direly and there is great risk of the remaining livelihoods options/assets further plummeting to uncomfortable levels if livelihoods protection and support programs are not given precedence. This year there was limited activity at household (HH) level for own food production especially farming which was heavily impeded by the recurrent conflict. Participants from all the FGDs in the assessed areas reported that this year’s harvest may not last for two months compared to at most four in a typical year.

Markets have crumbled as has some of the income earning opportunities of poor and very poor families. Middle income and better-off families are reported to be depending heavily on livestock for food and income. Primary data collected during the assessment reflected that although some families now have access to green farm crops such as maize cobs and kudhura (from the forest), most people still face food insecurity.

1 A Payam is a 2nd level of administration from a County. It is made up of a collection of Bomas (villages)

2 Koch County has eight Payams

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Overall, as affected people count their loss, conflict is blamed for aggravating food insecurity, under-development and poverty in Koch County. Most families’ copying mechanisms have been affected, thus weakening/ destroying their resilience to future shocks. In light of this, recommendations which came as a result of this assessment to cover identified gaps will focus on addressing immediate needs and on protecting and restoring livelihoods opportunities. To this end, the following activities can be prioritised; food assistance, agriculture & livestock support, distribution of NFIs and efforts to upscale nutrition support programs.

INTRODUCTION AND JUSTIFICATION According to an Inter Agency Rapid Assessment (IRNA) which was conducted in June 2014, Koch County and all Southern Unity State was already classified as one of the most food insecure areas in South Sudan before the current conflict began

3. In May 2014, the Integrated Food Security Phase

Categorization (IPC) forecasted that between June and August 2014, more than 3.9 million people in South Sudan, 34% of the total population, would face emergency (IPC Phase 4) or crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of food insecurity. 2.2 million of these people live in the three most affected states of Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity. Koch one of the Counties in Unity state (currently under the control of opposition forces) faced threatening food insecurity due to several factors including disrupted markets and food production. The area is characterized by lack of development, poor physical infrastructure and inaccessible market routes. The Assessment Capacities Project’s (ACAPS) overview (August 2014 ) of the deteriorating situation in South Sudan, reports that the situation is still tense, violence is ongoing and the humanitarian situation is deteriorating, with high levels of food insecurity and humanitarian agencies warning of the possibility of a famine

4. Further literature review reflected that the humanitarian situation is not expected

to improve in the affected areas. Reports on Koch showed that there is limited humanitarian activity, particularly within the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) discourse. From this background, there was a need to gather data which would give a clear picture of the prevailing situation and the risks threatening the affected communities in the County.

STATEMENT OF INTENT The EFSL assessment intended to gather data on the well-being and food security situation of the affected people in Koch. Information regarding issues affecting their food security and livelihoods situation was collected based on the following objectives: Objective(s)

a. Identify vulnerable groups in Koch who are at risk of sliding into food insecurity; b. Identify current livelihoods and income-generating opportunities for special groups in communities

that include IDPs, women, youth, children, physically challenged and the elderly; c. Identify and delineate livelihoods groups within targeted geographical locations, and for each

group identify barriers and risks to livelihoods and food security; d. Identify livelihood opportunities that can be supported to enhance food security and income-

earning opportunities of identified livelihoods groups; e. Identify barriers to services, programs, and opportunities available to target populations; f. Identify the current coping mechanisms of affected communities and seek ways of mitigating

harmful behaviors.

3 Inter Agency Rapid Needs Assessment Report [ Koch County, Unity State] : 11- 12 June 2014,

4 Briefing note South Sudan deteriorating humanitarian situation, 06 August 2014, by ACAPS,

http://www.acaps.org/en/resources

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Core Questions

What is the effect of the current conflict on the affected communities’ FSL situation?

Which groups of people and individuals are food insecure/secure as a result of the crisis?

Which livelihoods activities/groups have been most affected by the crisis?

What is the condition of markets in the affected areas?

What are the FSL priority needs of the affected population?

METHODOLOGY This FSL assessment borrowed data collection techniques from a number of approaches including; the Household Economy Approach (HEA), Emergency Market Mapping & Analysis (EMMA) and from the Livelihoods approach. This way data was collected from a broad spectrum on issues which are affecting communities in Koch. A combination of field work and a review of secondary data sources were engaged during data gathering. Field work was undertaken by the IRC Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Coordinator with the assistance of a local IRC staff who acted as a translator. Most of the field data was collected directly at community level by conducting FGDs. Each FGD had a maximum of 12 participants, each one of them representing their own household. FGD interviews were extensive (typically two hours).

Eleven KIIs were conducted over the period of data collection covering, Payam Executive Directors at Payam level, Chiefs, South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SSRRA) representatives, various Agric Extension Officers; the Koch County Commissioner, the County Assistant Commissioner for Agriculture, the County Veterinarian Director, and representatives of other NGOs. A total of nine traders were interviewed in two locations (Koch and Mirmir) were markets are partially functioning.

Limitations Key informants and FGDs were asked to account for production, earning and spending patterns for a reference period. The challenge for participants was to accurately recall food security and livelihoods conditions from a year or more ago (pre-crisis period). This was especially a challenge in ranking income sources and expenditure patterns during the reference period. Determining livestock numbers was also a challenge as it was a sensitive process because participants at times felt like they were divulging private wealth status Vis-a- Vis anticipated soon to be donor funded assistance. Cross-checking and triangulation are two strategies that helped minimize recall bias to a great extent. Finally, travelling between the team’s base and hard to reach areas was greatly slackened by poor access routes. At times the team had to walk for long distances (16 km) sometimes wading through water-logged swamps including spending nights in field locations. However, these problems did not reduce the number of interviews that were conducted.

Ethical Considerations Before entering into the communities to gather data, the assessment team started with separate official meetings with the SSRRA, the focal person of SSRA at State level and the Koch County Commissioner. The team explained the purpose, objectives, target population and the schedule of the assessment. Selection of areas that were assessed was based on the information of most affected locations which was gathered from the SSRRA and the County Commissioner. The SSRRA provided the team with the figures and data on the affected communities. During data gathering participatory methods and tools (including proportional pilling) were deployed to generate first-hand information from local sources.

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KEY FINDINGS

A. Food Security Situation

Currently most families in Koch County are moderately food insecure as reflected by the data which was

collected and analyzed during the assessment. A variety of coping mechanisms are employed by most

families to source food. The most common means which were noted were; consumption of fresh farm

produce ( in some locations), relying heavily on livestock & livestock products, gathering of wild foods and

General Food Distribution in one Payam by the World Food Program (WFP). However, Koch County still

risks a decline towards severe food insecurity because; own food production in the current farming

season was limited, households (HHs) lack reliable income, markets have been destroyed & probability of

them functioning well in the near future is minimal, depletion of livestock assets to uncomfortable levels

and possible recurring conflict & displacement.

a. Utilisation

According to all FGDs food consumption at household level for affected people has greatly changed during this period compared to a normal year. Participants in four FGDs reported that in a normal year most families consumed at least two meals a day with light food such as groundnuts taken between meals. Information taken from all the FGDs shows that at present most households are consuming a single meal a day mainly composed of wild vegetables (kudhura) and a rationed meal prepared from sorghum/maize (Walu walu)

5. Some women in three FGDs reported that priority for ‘a decent meal’ is

given to children and the head of the house when cereal is not adequate to feed everyone in the family. FGD participants in Jaak, Boaw and Ngony reported that some families are consuming kudhura without salt and cooking oil. According to all the FGD participants, diets have significantly deteriorated for most families since the beginning of the crisis. Consumption of beans & nuts, oils & fats, sugar, fish and pumpkins have been most affected. Table 1 below details food types which were and are consumed in a 24 hour period pre-conflict (typical day) and now. It summarises the average Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) – see the bottom row of the table for HDDS before and after the shock.

Table 1: Household Diets Pre-conflict and Now

# Food type

Food type consumed in 1 day (24 hours)

Pre-Conflict Now

1. Cereals (Sorghum/maize)-including fresh maize cobs

2. Roots and tubers

3. Beans, nuts

4. Vegetables [ currently vegetables from the forest, e.g. kudhura)

5 Walu walu is a traditional meal made of cereals- is a little thicker than porridge

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5. Fruits [currently (now)wild fruits]

6. Meat / poultry, offal

7. Eggs

8. Fish,

9. Milk and milk products

10. Oil / fat

11. Sugar / Honey

12. Pumpkins

Total number of 10 5

b. Access and availability

Participants in four FGDs confirmed that in a normal year by this time family food stocks from previous harvests would have depleted and people could be relying heavily on the markets. Fresh farm crops such as; maize cobs, beans, okra, egg plant, groundnuts and pumpkins were commonly consumed during this time of the year. However, due to late planting and lack of seeds (especially for pumpkins, okra and vegetables) most families lack these food types in their current diets.

FGD participants in all the five locations which were assessed reported that the main means of accessing staple cereals (maize/sorghum) is through the sale of livestock and or barter in either Mayom or Leer Counties depending on location. However, since most families are resorting to this way of survival, terms of trade are negatively impacting on livestock keepers. Three FGDs and some KIs revealed that currently a cow of medium size (in good health) is equivalent to a single 50kg bag of sorghum compared to a typical year when it could fetch at least 4 x 50 kgs of the same commodity.

According to FGD participants in Mirmir, Ngony and Boaw, women and girls are bearing the burden of tracking long distances to Mayom or Leer (an average of 5 hrs journey by foot). They are able to carry small quantities of cereal, mainly maize on their heads. Therefore, meal sizes are reduced so that the stock can last for more days. As women and girls travel to these cereal supply markets they are exposed to high risks of sexual assault and rape.

Information gathered from all the FGDs reflected that current consumption of wild foods and fish comprised an estimated 15% of households’ food needs compared to at most 10% in a typical year during this time of the year. Coconut, kudhura and sometimes tender palm tree leaves are particularly important food for poor families in all the locations as reported by the FGDs. In Koch and Mirmir where a few food items were on sale, FGD participants and KIs confirmed that most families cannot afford them due to low purchasing power against high prices.

Livestock and livestock products have been reported to be mainly consumed by the better-off and middle class families. Information gathered through proportional pilling showed that this group secured nearly 30% of their current food needs from livestock (selling/ barter in exchange with cereals, milk, blood & meat). In normal years livestock are rarely slaughtered for consumption at household level. However, currently when all other copying strategies have failed or when families fail to secure buyers for livestock even cattle are slaughtered and shared among families for consumption. Overall, according to all the FGDs household food sources have changed due to the crisis. The table below details the sources of food for an average household as reported by three FGDs before the crisis and now, along with the

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impact of the shock on the various sources. Proportional pilling was used to come up with approximate percentages for each food source.

Table 2: Sources of Food Pre-crisis and Now

# Sources Pre-Shock (Approx.

%)

Now (Approx.

%)

Impact of shock on food source

a. Purchase (including barter trade) 40 20 Local markets destroyed

Purchasing power is low

Terms of trade heavily skewed

b. Own Agricultural Production 25 05 Late & minimised Agriculture Activity,

Some crops not yet mature,

c. Own Livestock Production (milk / meat)

20 30 Reduced for families who lost livestock and for the poor,

Milk, blood, meat,

d. Gifts / Sharing 05 00 Community based support systems still exist, however this source is no longer as strong as before the conflict as families are struggling to supply for their own sources,

e. Relief (Food Aid / Food for Work) 00 05 Access by humanitarian community in some locations is limited,

f. Fishing and Wild Food 10 15 Pressure on natural resources was increased in some locations,

Gap 25 %

Total Percentage 100% 100%

c. Current shocks to food security

According to the data collected through proportional pilling, most households are facing a gap of 25% in the food they can access comparative to the pre-crisis period. The main shocks to food as reported by all

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FGDs are lack of income, limited own food production ( late planting, etc ) and limited access to markets (distance and low purchasing power).

d. Current copying strategies

In response to the crisis, HHs employed different response strategies based on their wealth status. Better-off and middle-income households increased the sale of livestock or bartered cattle for cereals. According to all the FGDs most families with livestock are also relying heavily on livestock products [meat (mainly goat/sheep), blood and milk]. Poorer households increased wild food collection to help make up food gaps. Gathering kudhura from the forest and consuming fresh maize cobs (in Koch Payam, Boaw and Ngony) were mentioned as the common sources of food now for this group. Another strategy for most families was to minimise expenditure on ‘none essential’ items such as, clothes and purchase of some household items. For HHs in Koch Payam, World Food Program (WFP) food distributions were reported to be a vital source of sorghum, cooking oil and beans. FGD participants in Ngony and Koch mentioned water lily roots and tender palm tree leafs as consumed by some of the families.

e. Humanitarian Presence in Koch

i. Food Assistance

According to the SRRA and the Koch County Commissioner and all FGD participants, WFP General Food Distribution (GFD) was carried only in Koch Payam (in June 2014). A monthly allocation of 15 kg of sorghum, 1.5 kg beans and 600 grams of vegetable oil per person per month were distributed in the first cycle. Registration of the same was carried over two days in the same location. Several people outside that registration area failed to benefit, albeit efforts made to send word around to the surrounding Payams. FGD participants in Boaw, Mirmir, Ngony and Jaak reported that they could not afford to track long distances to Koch for the exercise. At the time of carrying this assessment the WFP was in the process of carrying out a second GFD exercise in Koch Payam since the beginning of the crisis. World Relief, who are partnering with WFP revealed that a total of 21,372 individuals have benefited so far in the first cycle. Plans are underway to register more people in Boaw. WFP mobile team has plans to continue the monthly distributions for up to September 2014, these will be centralized in Boaw and Koch Payams for all people in Koch County.

ii. Other humanitarian activities

At the time of carrying the assessment, a single humanitarian organization, World Relief had a presence in Koch County since 2008 working mainly in the health and nutrition support programs. The IRC was in the preliminary stages of setting implementation processes for Protection and WASH activities.

B. Livelihoods

Koch is home to the Nuer. The area is largely an agro-pastoral economy. Main livelihoods activities for most families are a mixture of agriculture and livestock keeping with fishing and gathering of wild fruits supplementing diets.

a. Farming

i. Cultivation (staple crops)

According to data analyzed from all the five FGDs and some KIIs, up to 70% of the assessed communities depend on farming. Maize, sorghum, cowpeas, beans, simusimu and pumpkins are the principal crops grown for food. Data from three FGDs reflects that sorghum is the staple crop, except in Boaw and Koch where maize is mainly consumed. However, this year due to lack of seeds, famers in all

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locations cultivated mainly maize sourced (through purchase, barter and borrowing) from Mayom County where it is a staple crop. In a typical year farmers cultivate both sorghum and maize, with sorghum reserved for the lean season since it has a longer shelf life.

Data collected from all the FGDs reflected that size of land cultivated was reduced this season compared to a typical year. According to the Assistant Commissioner for Agriculture and three FGDs when the farming season started, most people were not prepared as they were spending much time walking to distant markets (Mayom) in search of food. Agriculture Extension officers and FGD participants in Mirmir and Ngony reported that most people were too weak to meaningfully devote their energy in land preparations and farming activities. Lack of seeds (burnt/destroyed during fighting) and insecurity were the highest contributors this year to low production according to all FGD participants. As a result, families managed to cultivate small portions of land within their compounds. The Koch and Boaw Payam Agriculture Extension officers revealed that some families hosting IDPs shared small portions of land within the compounds to plant crops.

Harvesting of staple crops normally begins in August and ends in October with residual crops (pumpkins, cowpeas, okra) left to grow in the fields and consumed until December (refer to figure 1 below for the seasonal calendar). Severe flooding, crop pests and consumption of farm produce now pose a decline in the quantity of commodities which may be harvested during this season. Four FGDs presume that the harvest may last for a maximum of two months compared to at least four in a typical year. This means that the lean season in 2015 may start early and will be long. To supplement food sources, if commodities become available in the markets (depending on improvements on access routes) during that period, food prices may still be unaffordable for many people.

Figure 1: Seasonal Calendar for Koch

Activity Months

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

Land Preparation

Cultivation (staple crops)

Wet Season

Harvesting (staple crops)

Lean Season

Collecting grass, charcoal

Vegetable Gardens

Fishing

ii. Dry season food production (vegetable gardens)

In all the locations which were assessed, vegetable gardens have been reported to be a common practice in the dry season using water from swamps, along streams ( Koch- Goul river, Mirmir- in Mirmir river) and sometimes shallow wells. Activities in vegetable gardens begin in January. Four FGDs pointed to women as the main actors in this activity. Common crops grown include; kudhura, okra (short variety), onion, tomatoes and egg plant.

iii. Extension Support Services

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According to the Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture before the conflict, there were a total of 24 Agriculture officers in Payams around Koch. Most of them received short trainings of a maximum of three months from humanitarian actors some years ago. The assessment team met at least one officer in the locations which were covered during data collection. According to some of them, they work on a voluntary basis to; sensitize communities on modern farming techniques, and on flood & pest control.

b. Livestock

i. General information on livestock in Koch

Cattle play a crucial role in the Nuer community reserved mostly for sale or barter in exchange for cereals. Large herds are regarded as a sign of wealth and honor. Estimates gathered from three FGDs through proportional piling reflected that slightly over 40 % of the community relies on livestock. Cattle, goats, and sheep are all reared in the assessed locations with large herds of cattle noted in Boaw and Mirmir. According to interviewees in Koch and Boaw, before the conflict a wealth family had at least more than 200 herds of cattle. Discussions in three FGDS revealed that the number has declined to between 50 and 100. Normally goats and sheep are consumed at household level with cattle slaughtered when other options to source food have been fully exhausted.

Livestock selling/barter for food, livestock diseases and killing for consumption are the main contributing factors to the reduction in livestock numbers at family level. Figure 2 is a picture of a cow in Ngony Payam suffering from a contagious skin disease. Table 3 below is a summary of reconciled data of the top four causes of reduction in livestock during the past year including this crisis period as ranked by participants in four FGDs.

Table 3: Reasons for decrease in livestock numbers over the past year and now

# Reason for livestock reduction Rank

Pre-crisis

Now

a) Animal Sale/barter for food 3 1

b) Cattle raids 2 4

c) Death following diseases 1 2

d) Killed for meat ( family consumption) 4 3

e) Contributing to the food of armed groups N/A 4

Fig 2: A cow in Ngony suffering from a skin disease,

photo by IRC: George Bete

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The locations visited presents Koch County as mainly a flat plain covered with savannah grassland and bushes with scattered trees, and natural open surface water points (swamps and streams) which makes it suitable for livestock rearing. The livestock condition in the areas which were visited was good as animals have sufficient pasture and water.

ii. Community based Livestock support structures

Prior to the crisis there have been community based livestock support structures existing in all Payams.

Information compiled from KIIs revealed that Community Animal Health Workers (CAHW) who have been

receiving support from NGOs such as Veterinarians Sans Frontieres Suisse (VFS-S) normally assisted in

vaccinating and treating livestock. However, due to the conflict, some of the CAHW have been displaced,

and VFS-S has ceased operations. The Koch County Veterinarian Director said a total of 36 trained

CAHW were located in several Payams of Koch County before the war. Some of their duties were to;

identify & report disease out-breaks, participate in animal vaccination & de-worming campaigns, and buy

drugs (sold to cattle keepers at subsidized prices - for cost recovery) from Koch Payam to treat diseases.

Information on the widespread cattle diseases in Koch contributing to deaths is tabulated in table 4 below. Regular diseases for goats and sheep were reported as; Contagious Caprine Pleuro Pneumonia, Peste des Petits Ruminants, and Contagious Caprine. Access to drugs and vaccines is now limited since the onset of the crisis as reported by some of the FGD participants in all locations. Currently, there is a single functioning veterinary drug store in Koch Payam owned by the Koch Vet County Director selling some of the drugs.

Table 4: Common Livestock diseases in Koch County (compiled by Koch County Vet Director: 15/08/2014)

# Disease Type Months it usually occurs Drugs required for treatment

i. Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia

All Year

Oxtetracycline Vaccine

ii. Hemorrhagic Septicemia Oxtetracycline Vaccine

iii. Trypanasomosis Novidium

iv. External Parasites (ticks) Acarricide

v. Eye infection Opticlax

vi. Mange/Skin diseases Ivermetive

vii. Brucellosis Amoxilline

viii. Prolapse Oxylet

ix. Mastitis Oxylet, Amoxilline

x. Wounds/foot rot

Wet Season

Oxylet

xi. Internal Parasites (worms) Albendazole-10%

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c. Fishing

Although fishing is now emerging as a popular food source among the poor communities, according to three FGDs in normal years it is a supplementary activity which is practiced by approximately less than 10% of the community. Participants in Mirmir and Ngony revealed that fishing is normally done in Bagi River which is a one day journey (one way by foot). In Boaw, Jaak and Koch fishing is normally done in river Nile which is an average of six hours journey by foot. Information from all locations showed that both men and women are currently practicing it using nets and hooks.

C. Income and expenditure a. Income

According to KIIs and participants in all FGDs poor families are currently funding household expenses through a range of income sources including; the sale of charcoal, firewood, and milk. Casual agriculture labor opportunities and Tukul making (for men) common in a typical year have disappeared now. According to some KIs and two FGDs, prior to the conflict oil drilling was a key natural resource of economic importance providing casual labor opportunities for local communities residing near oil fields (Jaak, Mirmir and Koch Payam). Livestock are the economic mainstay of middle-income and better-off households now as well as in a typical year. Table 5 below is a summary of the income earning sources, pre-conflict and currently as presented by the FGD participants.

Table 5: Income earning sources for households in Koch County

# Income Source Rank

Pre-crisis Now

a) Sell of charcoal and firewood 1 2

b) Sell of livestock 2 1

c) Sell of grass 2 4

d) Casual labour 3 N/A

e) Sell of milk, fish 4 3

f) Local beer Brew 4 4

b. Expenditure

Data was collected to compare households’ spending patterns pre- crisis and now during the same period of their seasonal calendar. Food was mentioned by participants in all the FGDs as a top priority now. This is a similar pattern during a typical year when families tend to rely heavily on the markets for food as they close the lean season and wait for harvesting. Further probing in all FGDs revealed that in a typical year families would also prioritise spending on human and animal health. Human health (including mosquito nets) still remains second priority. The table below ranks the most prioritized household expenses both pre-crisis and current periods.

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Table 6 : Top four prioritized Household Expenses (pre-crisis period and now)

# Expense Rank Remarks

Pre-crisis Now

a) Food 1 1 Currently - cereals, salt, cooking oil,

b) Human Health 2 2 Especially anti-malaria and anti-typhoid drugs,

c) Animal Health 3 4 This is still a priority for some families – for life threatening livestock diseases,

d) Livestock investment 4 4 Mainly middle income and better-off families,

e) House equipment purchase 4 3 Currently middle-income and better-off are buying mosquito nets, cooking utensils,

f) Education 3 N/A Currently not a priority- also, some schools have closed,

g) Agriculture inputs 4 3 Normally HHs reserve their own seeds. This season famers bought.

D. Markets

a. Access and commodities availability

Although local markets are physically accessible to people in the assessed locations, few commodities are on sale. Traders lack sufficient quantities needed to support food security and livelihoods. According to KIs and all traders interviewed in Mirmir and Koch, less than 10 and 15 % respectively of the shops which normally operate are open and functioning. A lot of physical market structures in all locations visited have been destroyed (burnt during fighting). In Jaak, Ngony and Bow markets are totally destroyed and not functional.

Common products which were available in small quantities in the two markets of Koch and Mirmir Payams were; sorghum, maize, sugar, cooking oil and salt. Consumers and traders revealed that current prices for these commodities is significantly higher compared to pre-crisis period (refer to table 7).

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Table 7: Commodity Prices in Koch Market

# Commodity Unit Price Pre-

Conflict

Price Now

Price in Supply market (Now)

Inflation following the conflict (%)

6

1. Sorghum 50 kg 250 600 350 140

2. Sugar 50 kg 300 1050 850 250

3. Maize 50kg 150 700 300 366.67

4. Salt 500g 5 35 * 600

5. Cooking Oil 1 Cup 10 30 20 200

6. Meat (beef) 1 kg 10 15 * 50

7. Dried Fish Medium 10 20 5 100

8. Milk 1 liter 5 15 * 200

9. Chicken live 10 25 * 150

10. Cattle 1 head 1100 500 * -54.54

11. Goat 1 head 200 50 * -75

NB: Livestock prices are projected to rise in the next 2 months as farm produce begin to be consumed

*recent information not available at time of assessment

b. Access to supply markets by traders

Interviews with all traders in Koch and Mirmir reflected that lack of market integration with other

Counties, poor accessibility and lack of reliable transport are posing challenges in their trade. Koch

traders are currently accessing a few supplies from Adok port (Unity State) and Mirmir from Leer.

According to all the traders, routes to supply markets are virtually inaccessible in the rainy season. In

both markets, all traders confirmed that they are engaging women to carry commodities from supply

markets by head (an average of four days to Koch and six hours to Mirmir). All traders interviewed in

the two locations reported that the downstream supply markets for Adok and Leer seem not to be

reliable. Local traders sometimes spend days in those markets waiting for supplies to be available. In

a normal year, commodities to both these sites were mainly supplied either from Khartoum [Sudan

(nearly 30%)] or from Juba, via Rumbek (Koch) and Leer (Mirmir).

c. Traders’ capacity to respond to increased demand

6 = 100 x (price now– price pre-conflict) / price pre-conflict

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Currently, without humanitarian support to traders local markets are functional at a level that cannot support cash-based interventions for food assistance. According to six traders out of the nine who were interviewed in various locations, traders will require financial support to enable them restart trading including in; re-building shops, hire transport ( in dry season) to supply markets and to buy stock. Some of them would each require financial assistance ranging from SSP 8,000 to SSP 15,000.

RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the assessment findings, humanitarian response in FSL will be necessary. Whilst efforts to implement responses which address access to food now by communities in Koch County, attention should also be directed to relief and recovery/stabilisation activities. The continuing conflict has endangered the communities’ food security, affected livelihoods and weakened resilience mechanisms leaving little room to absorb any further shocks. Therefore, efforts to protect existing livelihoods and also to promote recovery should be seriously considered. Possible activities which can be implemented by the humanitarian community to address the identified needs are detailed below.

A. Immediate response action ( address access to food ),

Activities to address immediate gaps in food needs should be considered;

a. Food Assistance7 ( General Food Distributions)

Since insecurity and severe flooding has resulted in great restrictions to trade and market disruptions, the ability of households to access food from local shops have been seriously compromised. Markets are not able to provide products to the affected communities, therefore monthly General Food Distributions (GFD) should be considered. Even though HHs anticipate to begin harvesting as from Sept, GFDs now will allow the communities to recover from shock and for them to stock the meagre harvest for the 2015 lean season. Whilst food distributions are done in Koch County, efforts should also be made to reach out to the hard to reach communities. In particular, humanitarian actors should prioritise setting up Distribution Points (DPs) in Jaak, Ngony, Mirmir and Boaw. This way protection risks posed on women and girls who are currently tracking long distances to markets will be minimised. Moreover, total reliance on selling animals to purchase food by affected people will be limited thus protecting the remaining livestock particularly for the middle income and poor families.

b. Nutrition Support Programs

According to a report (06 August 2014) by the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS ), more than 1 million children under the age of five in South Sudan will require treatment for acute malnutrition in 2014. UNICEF reports that an estimated 50,000 children are at risk of dying from malnutrition without the adequate humanitarian assistance (UNICEF 29/07/2014). An August report by the South Sudan Nutrition Cluster echoed the same sentiments, reporting that in South Sudan Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) rates were significantly higher than the acceptable thresholds of 15% for GAM and 4% for SAM.

7 Food assistance refers to the variety of different instruments that can help to promote food security, which is

defined as access of all people at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. Food assistance

programming may include food aid, local or regional procurement of food commodities, cash grants, vouchers,

nutrition interventions, etc. Food assistance is increasingly used by donors and aid agencies as an alternative to

food aid. A major reason for the shift in terminology is to include the provision of cash for food-related purposes

within definitions of food assistance.

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In Koch County, between June and July 2014, World Relief (WR) screened a total of 6,856 children in eight locations of Koch most of whom were with a low MUAC

8. Therefore nutrition programs should be

scaled up to include the hard to reach Payams like Mirmir, Boaw and Ngony, whilst continuing the same in Koch Payam. This initiative will be vital in addressing malnutrition at community level. Opportunities to link FSL and nutrition programs should be explored. For example, as an entry point, FSL activities can be deliberately designed to prioritize targeting of HHs with malnourished children or those with low MUAC. Activities to consider increased knowledge, attitude and practices on household nutrition by communities can be done by; facilitating community sessions on processing of livestock based foods; household nutritional dialogue forums for opinion/traditional leaders; facilitation of community nutrition awareness events; promoting formation of community nutrition clubs; promotion of nutrition enabling systems and training of community nutrition facilitators to run these activities alongside the FSL responses.

B. Medium-term livelihoods protection, stabilisation & recovery activities

a. Livestock support programs

Since Koch community is dominated by livestock keepers who are facing challenges in livestock support systems a response to protect livestock assets from further decline should be considered. Activities to strengthen existing and or establish community based livestock support systems should be designed and implemented. Animal health activities can be promoted by working with CAHW who are based in the Payams. Where they do not exist ways of identifying volunteers can be established. Trainings and refresher trainings for the new and existing CAHW can be an essential activity under this component. Supply of livestock drugs to increase access by the livestock keepers for animal drugs is one way to contain and manage disease outbreaks. Furthermore, mass de-worming and vaccination campaigns which encourage participation of CAHW can also be a good way to protect livestock assets.

b. Crop and vegetable production

i. Crop production

Proportional piling for the main livelihood activities practiced by the affected people revealed that nearly 70 % of the population is dependant on farming activity. However, due to looting and destruction during fighting, most families lost seeds and tools. There is need to assist farmers with these inputs on time for them to prepare for the next farming season. Sorghum, maize, groundnuts, pumpkins and okra seeds can be considered for distribution. Efforts to encourage modern farming techniques and increase harvests at family level can be promoted through setting demonstration plots in all the Payams. Good farming methods like contour ridges, use of organic fertilizers, proper crop spacing and pest control methods can be demonstrated.

ii. Vegetable gardens

Some participants (especially women) in all the FGDs have shown both the willingness and desire to engage in irrigation based vegetable production. Proportional piling revealed that nearly 10% of the people in the areas assessed cultivate vegetable gardens during the dry season. There are already existing community run vegetable garden groups in all Payams visited; Koch (9), Boaw (2), Mirmir (3), Jaak (1) - each garden has between 20 -30 people. These gardens have been running from 2011 until 2013 when fighting happened. According to the Assistant Commissioner for Agriculture, all the gardens are currently not functioning because fence was looted and treadle pumps stolen or damaged during the fighting. This was confirmed by FGD groups in Koch and Mirmir Payams. Support is needed now in terms of; provision of tools and locally adaptable

8 During the time of this assessment, World Relief was still collating MUAC, GAM and SAM figures for Koch County

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vegetable seeds considering the interest of the local communities. There is also an option to encourage large scale production of vegetables by providing manually operated treadle pumps where people have access to streams which flow all year round- e.g. in Mirmir and Koch. Farmer groups can be formed and used as institutions for the success of this activity.

iii. Support existing extension support services

There is need to provide practical training to lead farmers and refresher trainings to Extension officers to build their capacity to support farmers. Special emphasis during the trainings can be considered to be on; dry land management (for vegetable production), flood control, soil drainage systems/mechanism, horticulture and in general modern farming practices.

c. Support in reviving local markets,

Traders have shown an interest in scaling-up their operations if security and access to supply markets is improved. However, they lack the capacity to meaningfully respond to increased demand and make the markets function. Therefore, there is a need to consider financial and infrastructure support to the traders through a cash grant or a loan (with a repayment mechanism/plan in place).

d. Distribution of Non Food Items (NFIs)

Data collected from all the FGDs gave urgent needs as; food, health services and NFIs prioritized in that order. Mosquito nets, cooking utensils, water containers and shelter material were mentioned as basic items lacking among many families. Therefore, distributions to address these needs should be considered.

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Secondary Data Sources

1. Briefing note South Sudan deteriorating humanitarian situation, 06 August 2014, by ACAPS, http://www.acaps.org/en/resources

2. Inter Agency Rapid Needs Assessment Report [ Koch County, Unity State] : 11- 12 June 2014, (not on line),

3. IRC Position Paper: Food Assistance, Economic Recovery and Development ,June 2014 (not on line)

4. South Sudan Crisis Situation Report No. 48 (as of 7 August 2014): by OCHA South Sudan in collaboration with humanitarian partners; http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/South%20Sudan%20Crisis%20Sit%20Rep%2048.pdf

5. South Sudan Nutrition Cluster Bulletin:- Issue 3, August 2014, https://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/document/updated-nutrition-cluster-strategic-response-plan-july-2014

6. Strategic Concentration Points for Humanitarian Response- South Sudan, a Strategy document by the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster in South Sudan ( not on line),