More than 700 000 people have been affected.

31st August 2021, Mozambique-As part of a common effort to address the challenges in the northern part of Mozambique that is affecting hundreds of thousands of families, FAO, in consultation with national authorities, has developed a plan on the agriculture sector intended to address the problems related to food security and nutrition faced by vulnerable communities in Cabo Delgado, affected by the conflict, insecurity and violence that lead to significant displacement, disruption of livelihoods and lack of access to basic service for more than 700 000 people.

During the first donors round table to present the Response Plan to the Mozambique Crisis Agriculture Livelihood, the Resident Coordinator, Myrta Kaulard, affirmed that "the relevance of the FAO mandate and the collaboration with the other two Rome Based Agencies (IFAD, WFP) and the rest of the UNCT in contributing to a real definitively positive turn for the situation in Cabo Delgado and contributing to a new pattern in terms of sustainable development and inclusion through the programme is going to be presented today is unique".

The conflict has been worsening food and nutrition inse¬curity in the region, where communities are yet to recover from the impacts of Cyclone Kenneth, which landed in April 2019. As a result, food and nutrition insecurity have increased due to violen¬ce and disruption of livelihoods of the Internal Displaced People (IDPs), that left behind almost all their possessions, including agricultural inputs, cereal stocks and livestock.

Currently, FAO needs USD 45 million to assist at least 300 000 vulnerable families in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa, to immediately enhance the food and nutrition security of the Internal Displaced People (IDP) and host communities affected by conflict, while laying the foundation to sustai¬nably build resilient livelihoods against future cli¬matic shocks and stressors.

The FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for Southern Africa, Patrice Talla, stressed that the urgent need to protect and recover the agricultural livelihoods of the IDPS and the host communities, lead FAO to develop the agricultural response plan to complement the efforts of the government and other stakeholders. Talla considers that "is important to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the communities, but at the same time start interventions that strengthen the resilience of the agricultural and fisheries livelihoods".

The Director of Emergencies and Resilience, Rein Paulsen, reaffirmed as well, FAO's readiness to continue providing support at global level on the development and implementation of policies and strategies in the area of Emergency Response and Resilience, and stressed the need for additional efforts and resources to support the vulnerable communities affected by the conflict in Cabo Delgado.

Support provided to the IDP and host communities will ensure they resume local crop production, fishing and livestock rearing activities, while sustainably managing soil, forest and fish resources.

The event joined main partners and donors in order to join efforts to support the government of Mozambique resettling and rebuilding the livelihoods of the affected, addressing the problems related to food security and nutrition faced by the IDPs and the host families.

FAO's response will contribute to Government response plans including the 2021 Northern In¬tegrated Development Agency (ADIN) Institutio¬nal Strategy and Action Plan, and will follow the overall coordination of the Government through the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD).