EMERGENCIES

While the number of people affected by natural disasters fluctuates annually, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of victims of civil conflicts. These situations require emergency assistance and they point to the importance of early action to diffuse tensions and of preparedness in minimizing the risk of future crises and in preventing food emergencies. The Rome Declaration on World Food Security and World Food Summit Plan of Action (1996) recognized that both preventive and rehabilitation activities were key to reducing vulnerability to food emergencies. The Rome Declaration specifically states: "we will endeavour to prevent and be prepared for natural disasters and manmade emergencies and to meet transitory and emergency food requirements in ways that encourage recovery, rehabilitation, development and a capacity to satisfy future needs."

Because tackling disasters and resulting emergencies is such a complex task, many public and private bodies can contribute skills and experience. UN and government agencies as well as NGOs operating in the emergency area all have crucial roles in the process, and close cooperation is vital. Within the UN system, FAO takes the primary responsibility for preventive actions linked to sustainable agricultural development, crop and food supply monitoring and needs assessment, evaluation of agricultural relief requirements, and mobilization of the assistance and resources needed to restore agricultural activity. Its wide range of disciplines and skills, its long experience in the developing world and its presence in the field, allow the Organization to make a contribution in every phase of the emergency sequence.

FAO's Special Relief Operations Service (TCOR) responds to requests for emergency assistance in the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors submitted by developing countries affected by exceptional natural or human-induced calamities. Such emergency situations include all types of natural disasters such as drought, floods, hurricanes, pest infestations, epidemic animal diseases, fires, as well as damage caused by civil strife, war or political upheavals. TCOR's emergency assistance covers a wide range of activities related to the urgent rehabilitation of the disaster-stricken areas: (i) the assessment and monitoring of emergency requirements in the agricultural subsectors; (ii) the mobilization and coordination of donor support, and (iii) the execution of urgent relief operations through the provision of agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizer, pesticides), agricultural equipment (small tools, farm mechanization, irrigation and fishery equipment), veterinary and feed supplies, including breeding animals, and logistic facilities/workshops, training facilities, etc.).

TCOR operates in the phase immediately following a disaster. Its interventions are different from "normal" FAO technical cooperation activities in that they tend to be mainly, but not exclusively, confined to those operations: (a) with a heavy component of supplies and equipment for food production (but not for food itself); (b) where special logistic problems are encountered, particularly in so-called "complex emergencies" when government structures have weakened; and (c) where the speed of action is the most critical factor for achieving success.

FAO works closely at all stages of emergencies with international and private charities dedicated to humanitarian assistance. NGOs are often FAO's main partners in complex emergencies, contributing to monitoring and assessment of needs and to management of relief operations. FAO, through procurement services and technical advice, helps NGOs ensure that their operations in the areas of food and agriculture come up to accepted technical standards. Bilateral donors are, of course, essential partners, as it is their funds that finance many of FAO's field activities at all phases of the emergency sequence. Except for limited amounts of seed money provided by FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), the funding for all FAO's agricultural relief assessment missions and field operations, and for many emergency preparation and preparedness activities comes from extra-budgetary resources provided by donors. The World Food Programme (WFP) is one of FAO's most important partners. The two organizations work closely in preparation of early warning reports and in assessing food relief needs and publicizing them among donors.

When an emergency occurs and help is requested, FAO will normally make an on-the-spot plan of action for immediate assistance, if required. On the basis of this assessment, TCP may provide expert advice together with limited amount of the most urgently needed equipment, supplies and supporting services, pending the arrival of more substantive assistance from other sources. While TCP emergency aid is thus of a transitional nature, it may also include the services of FAO in mobilizing larger external resources for rehabilitation programmes, and in starting up coordination of emergency assistance. If a donor agrees to provide support for a particular activity, TCOR completes the formulation of a project document. The project document states the purpose of the project, the ways in which the activities are to be carried out, the inputs to be provided and the responsibilities and costs to be borne by the parties concerned.

Field project implementation, i.e. input reception, storage and distribution, is normally placed in the hands of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in the country. If, however, the FAOR is not present or not adequately equipped, TCOR will either field an "Emergency Project Coordinator" (EPC) in the case of complex emergencies (e.g. Angola, Bosnia, Rwanda) or contract international and/or national consultants to oversee input reception and distribution. Final distribution to the farmers, including monitoring, particularly in the case of complex emergencies, is the task of "partner NGO," i.e. those NGOs that usually collaborate with UN agencies active in humanitarian assistance. However, overall monitoring of project implementation and terminal report drafting is the responsibility of TCOR field consultants under the supervision of TCOR operations officers at FAO Headquarters. During 1998, for example, TCOR dealt with 180 ongoing projects, providing emergency and relief assistance to 64 countries. The total budgets involved were US$102.2 million under Trust Fund arrangements and US$ 17.7 million under TCP funding.

It is widely accepted that prevention is the best cure and the case for disaster prevention and preparedness no longer needs to be made. The case for introducing rehabilitation measures as early as possible following a disaster, in the so-called "relief phase" of the disaster cycle, is still not as well understood nor as widely appreciated. The introduction of agricultural recovery assistance in the "relief phase" of emergencies has a beneficial effect, as it reduces the cost and duration of relief aid and allows for the early development of rehabilitation strategies through early rehabilitation projects. Such projects serve as valid entry points to assess and prepare broader rehabilitation projects and programmes. It is generally accepted that under normal growing conditions, yield returns per unit of seed supplied are in the order of 8-10 to one for most major crops, and, with the application of appropriate fertilizer, these can be considerably increased.

FAO is the only UN specialized agency with a demonstrated capacity to plan and programme for agricultural rehabilitation following a disaster, a capacity that is vital for developing countries with a predominant agricultural sector.

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