SOUTH SUDAN
JUBA COORDINATION – MEETING MINUTES
WORKING GROUP:
DATE:
LOCATION:
ATTENDEES:
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Cash Transfer and Markets Working Group
28 October 2015
Main Conference Room, UNOCHA
See attached mailing list
1. Presentation on Market dynamics by WFP-VAM
2. Discussion on how the Economy is affecting the CBT implementation:
AGENDA:
Transfer Values, Best Practice
3. AOB
1. Markets situation - Presentation by VAM
The current economic situation is characterised by increase in food prices in all states which are
higher than the 5 year average.
In Juba prices are twice as high as last year and this trend has been observed for all other cereals
and other food items.
Highest market dependency is witnessed in the greater Bhar el Ghazal, and the Equatoria’s, this
results in households being more vulnerable to food price shocks. These are also the areas
which have households that have a higher expenditure on food as a proportion of all the
household expenditure.
The 2015 economic situation has negatively impacted the traders more than 2014, the scarcity
of hard currency has been one of the main factors.
High market price volatility has been found in markets in Aweil, Kuajok, Wau for the cereal
market. The volatility has a high impact on purchasing power of the households due to the
unpredictability of the food prices on the market.
Declining of the household purchasing power based on wage rates has been observed. The
casual wage rates have not been rising at the same rate as the inflation.
Action point
 Market situation presentation attached as well as the WFP market assessment Feb 2015
report.
2. Market situation impact on programming
 How are prices being affected in the county locations – Normally the terminal markets in the
states are the supply markets to the county markets hence food prices tend to be lower in state
markets. In places were own production plays a major part the prices of food commodities were
observed to be lower.
 Communities with high food production will have less dependency on the food markets e.g. EES
and WES.
 During harvest market dependency should be around 30% but this year (2015) it’s about 50%
 Urban programming:
o WFP has no urban programming
o Impact of economy on the Juba population has seen higher malnutrition rates than in
other surrounding rural areas
o More assessment needs to be undertaken to understand better the impact of the
current situation on urban households.
 LWF operational in DUK and Twic East – the spike in the parallel market rate in Juba resulted in
the Financial Service Provider (FSP) requesting for payment in USD this resulted in their
withdrawal of services.
 FAO voucher programme prices negotiated in March and implementation in June. This lag time
had an impact on the purchasing power of households as well as payments to suppliers. Of
recent traders have been requesting to be paid in USD.
http://foodsecuritycluster.net/operations/south-sudan
SOUTH SUDAN
JUBA COORDINATION – MEETING MINUTES
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One of the observation is the impact of the economic situation on the staffing salaries SSP Vs
USD especially on casual labourers. ACTED facing this situation, not just in CBT transfer but inkind transfers as well.
 Monthly price monitoring being used to formulate a monthly transfer, investment in M&E to
be able to adjust transfers. This implies at the planning phase agencies undertaking CBT have
to build into the transfer a factor or multiplier to allow for the adjustments.
Action point
 Share the template for the updates and members to share their market reports for uploading
on the FSL working group site. ( http://foodsecuritycluster.net/country/docfiles/1031/376)
 Share research on the impact of food aid on the markets
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3. AOB
The next meeting date will be advised at a later date.
http://foodsecuritycluster.net/operations/south-sudan