Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

The aim of the programme is to provide crisis-affected vulnerable populations in Libya, including school children, with access to sufficient and nutritious food during and in the aftermath of crisis. (Contribution to SDGs 2 and 17)

Expected results

1) Crisis-affected vulnerable populations in Libya, including school children, have access to sufficient and nutritious food during and in the aftermath of crisis;

2) Vulnerable populations have strengthened livelihoods and restored access to basic services;

3) The humanitarian community has strengthened capacity to assist vulnerable populations.

Target group / Beneficiaries

With the Austrian contribution, WFP proposes to assist populations affected by crisis, refugees living in camps and internally displaced people and migrants with general food assistance in the South (16,000 over three months through the Distribution Points established by WFP in the southern mantikas) and children aged 5-17 with school meals in the East (4,500 over three months through the WFP-established Central Kitchen of Benghazi, which serves 13 schools in the region). Total number of direct beneficiaries: 20,500.

WFP works with five local NGOs as its implementing partners in Libya to deliver nutrition interventions to vulnerable populations in Libya. For the household targeting, WFP works with the local Social Affairs offices and the Local Crisis Committees. In delivering the vitamin-/mineral-fortified date bars or fresh school meals to schoolchildren, WFP also works with the Ministry of Education and one local NGO.

Activities

The Austrian contribution will be allocated to the emergency nutrition response anchored under SO1 of the ICSP, to provide unconditional food assistance to food-insecure and vulnerable people in Libya, including schoolchildren, and pilot complementary interventions that improve food security and nutrition. WFP along with its partners will work towards ensuring basic food needs of the most vulnerable people will be met to prevent further deterioration of food security, either through in-kind food or cash-based assistance.

Context

During 2021 and the first quarter of 2022, Libya’s economy was greatly impacted further, leading to a liquidity crisis throughout the country. In the absence of inclusive social safety nets, the currency devaluation and subsidy cuts pushed food and fuel prices upward, weakened the purchasing power of the most vulnerable and limited their access to cash to meet their basic needs. In 2022, 803,000 people in need require some form of targeted humanitarian assistance; this includes 24 percent women and 30 percent children. This year’s findings also show that no population group registered on the extreme end of the severity scale (5 – catastrophic). The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance represents an overall reduction by 36 percent from 2021 and highlights the decrease in needs brought about by the end of hostilities and the general improvements in access and mobility across the country.

The Southern and Eastern regions of Libya have always been the most food insecure due to the high concentration of Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) and migrants, limited employment opportunities, damaged infrastructures and high transportation costs. From the latest Multi Sectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) available (December 2021), the southern region had the highest proportion of Libyans food insecure (23%).