ISLAMABAD: The monsoon floods in September 2014 affected an estimated 2.413 million acres of cropped area in Punjab and there is a risk to the broader food security and wellness of affected communities, a multi-sector initial rapid assessment report states.

The report projects damage to 77 per cent of the crops in the flood-hit areas of the five districts and stresses that the crop losses are likely to impact food availability in affected areas in Punjab.

The situation may aggravate because of impact on livestock sector, the report notes.

The multi-sector rapid assessment (MIRA) was carried out with a donor’s help. The National Disaster Management Authority and United Nations humanitarian coordinator jointly carried out surveys in Chiniot, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhang and Multan districts.

Given the difference in the development status, the southern districts of Punjab require additional assistance, it adds.

Extensive damage

The report says that the damage to agriculture was extensive because at the time main crops stood ready to harvest.

Damage to crops and stored grain has the potential to create acute food shortage for people and livestock.

The assessment results showed that the floods have made a devastating impact on standing crops. Kharif crops including rice, cotton and sugarcane were damaged, which may result in lower crop yields.

The assessment feared that the effects of flood may have some negative impacts on the major rabi crop of wheat.

District-wise analysis of the affected areas shows Multan as the most affected district followed by Jhang, where around 93pc and 83pc of crop losses were reported, respectively, report says.

Food stocks hit

Another factor which can jeopardise food security of the households in the surveyed communities is the loss of their food stocks. Overall, households in affected areas across the districts lost on average 42pc of their food stocks.

Specifically, around 21pc of the households were reported to be in more vulnerable condition, as they lost huge proportion (75pc) of their food stock. Reportedly, food stock losses were most serious in Districts Jhang, Multan and Chiniot where households lost about 50pc of their food stocks.

Analysis of the food stock sufficiency shows that almost one-third of the households have food stocks which are sufficient to last for about only a week. Situation in terms of food stock sufficiency was relatively alarming in Multan and Chiniot where almost half of the households have stock for less than a week time period.

The access to food is the physical and economic ability of a household to acquire adequate amounts of food. In terms of economic access to food, the survey results indicate that overall around 38pc of the households surveyed have adequate resources to buy food. Comparatively, among the five priority districts surveyed, Multan, Jhang, and Chiniot are more vulnerable to food insecurity in terms of economic access.

On average, around 23pc, 28pc, and 37pc households in the flood affected areas of Multan, Jhang, and Chiniot, respectively, have adequate resources to purchase food, whereas other districts, Mandi Bahauddin (59pc) and Hafizabad (52pc) are in slightly better position. Prior to the current floods, these five districts were categorised as food secure districts.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2014