World Food
Programme
Programme
Alimentaire
Mondial
Programa
Mundial de
Alimentos
The Food Aid Organization of the United Nations
WFP Cambodia
TRT: 2:47
Shot Oct 26-27 , 2011
:00-:07
Flooded areas, boat carrying WFP staff motors across flooded rice fields in the
Mekong Delta between Prey Veng and distribution site at Chrey Krohim School in
Kampong Russei commune of Prey Vang Province.
Shot: 26 Oct 2011
:07-:18
Flooded areas surrounding distribution site, Chrey Krohim School in Kampong
Russei commune, Prey Vang Province
Shot: 26 Oct 2011
:18-:26
Loading of WFP supplies in boats for beneficiaries, Chrey Krohim School
Shot: 26 Oct 2011
:26- 1:11
SOT Edith Heines, WFP Cambodia Deputy Country Director, Samroang island in
Kampong Cham Province:
Shot: 27 Oct 2011
“This flood is the worst in ten years, it’s comparable they say to the serious
floods of the year 2000. There is about 330.000 family and 1,5 million people
impacted by this flood so it’s really quite a big scale. There is about 20.000,
25.000 household displaced, they had to leave their house because it was under
water. Some family have decided that they preferred to stay in their house
although there is water there so they just put planks up so that they can stay in
their house because they want to save their little assets that they have. So, the
people in need of assistance are not just the displaced people but it’s actually
also people that stay behind in their villages.”
1:11-1:43
Beneficiaries loading food onto boats, Chrey Krohim School
Shot: 26 Oct 2011
1:43-2:01
SOT WFP Cambodia Deputy Country Director Edith Heines
Shot: 27 Oct 2011
Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68/70, Parco de’Medici 00148 Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39-06-65131 Fax: +39-06-6590632/6590637
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@wfp.org Website: www.wfp.org
page 2
“People have gathered here today for a food distribution that WFP is doing
together with Save the Children. We are distributing 50 Kg of rice for a family of
five while Save the Children is adding some food and non food items like water
filter, mosquito nets and some food”.
2:01-2:12
Beneficiaries waiting for food distribution Samroang island in the Mekong river in
Kampong Cham Province
Shot: 27 Oct 2011
2:12-2:47
Beneficiaries leaving via boats from Chrey Krohim School distribution in
Kampong Russei commune, Prey Vang Province.
Shot: 26 Oct 2011
Additional Information
Cambodia has been hit by the most severe and widespread flooding in
ten years affecting over 1.6 million people and forcing an estimated
240,000 people from their homes.
WFP has launched an emergency operation to address the immediate
food needs of about 60,000 people, providing a monthly 50kg of rice per
household in five of the worst affected provinces. WFP is now finalising
a 12-month Emergency Operation under which up to 150,000 people will
receive food assistance in the flood zone, for emergency and needs, and
later to assist with reconstruction and recovery.
As well as providing life saving food supplies, WFP is assessing the midto-long term impact on food security in flood affected provinces, where
there is expected to be extensive damage to rice crops.
Context
Severe flash floods and rising water levels in 18 out of 24 provinces, have
affected over 350,000 households (over 1.64 million people) including 700,000
children and over 51,000 households were evacuated. An estimated 250 people
were killed as a result of the floods.
Cambodia is among the most vulnerable countries to droughts and floods in
South East Asia. 423,449 hectares of rice fields have been affected with 265,804
hectares reported as damaged. (With the total area of planted rice at 2,466,429
hectares, this represents 10.7 per cent of total crops destroyed).
There has been a sharp rise in the price of rice largely due to the floods. October
rice prices are significantly higher compared to the previous month.
WFP Operations
The main aim of the current US$500,000 emergency operation is to save lives
and protect livelihoods by averting damaging coping mechanisms which are
page 3
already being adopted by affected households. These include borrowing rice at
very high interest rates, selling assets, pulling children out of school, and
reducing food intake.
Some evacuated families have started returning to their homes as floodwaters
recede in some areas along the Mekong River and other parts of the country.
Displaced families are returning to flood-wrecked villages in upstream Mekong
provinces though there has been little movement yet in Lower Mekong provinces.
WFP is assessing the mid and long-term food needs in flood-affected provinces
while addressing the immediate needs of displaced families in close collaboration
with the Government, the UN and NGO partners.
On 12-14 October WFP launched rapid emergency food security assessments in
five of the hardest hit provinces: Prey Veng, Kampong Thom, Kratie, Kampong
Cham and Kampong Chhnang. The assessments provided detailed information on
the food security status of displaced and affected households, food stocks, access
to markets, livelihood activities and coping strategies.
WFP chairs the UN Disaster Management Team which is meeting regularly and
closely coordinating with the National Committee for Disaster Management
(NCDM) and with NGOs.
US$2.5 million has been granted to WFP Cambodia by the Central Emergency
Response Fund as part of a wider US$4 million donation to a coordinated UN
response.
The Government of Cambodia has welcomed WFP’s assistance under the
emergency operation.
BACKGROUND
WFP started its first five-year Country Programme on 1 July 2011 and has an
extensive field presence with area offices in Siem Reap, Kampong Cham and
Phnom Penh and strong logistical response capacity.
WFP’s last major relief response in Cambodia was in 2009 with a general food
distribution to 25,000 households or 117,500 beneficiaries in four provinces.
Prior to that Cambodia was last affected by major floods in 2000.
Close to 1 in 5 Cambodian households lives below the food poverty line. When hit
by external shocks such as this year’s floods, these households have very limited
options. Without the assistance of safety nets they will traditionally need to
resort to damaging coping options such as selling essential assets, falling deeper
into debt, or simply eating less.
Nutrition levels are of concern with a high prevalence of stunting (39.9%). The
2010 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey - the 3rd national, household
survey since 2005 -showed that 28 percent of children are underweight. This is
strong evidence that the nutritional status of children is no longer improving and
the same survey indicates that the situation may be worsening with a slight
increase in the percentage of thin (wasted) children.
page 4
REGIONAL CONTEXT
Several countries in South East Asia (including the Philippines, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand) have been affected by successive
tropical storms and heavy rainfall since June.
In Myanmar, WFP has provided emergency food supplies to 30,000 floodaffected people in Magway region and is now looking into options to assist
recovery and reconstruction.
In the Philippines, in support of the government response WFP provided highenergy biscuits to 537,500 victims of typhoons Nesat and Nalgae which struck
northern and central Luzon (northern Philippines) in September/October and
affected over four million people. WFP also provided transport services, logistics
support, and non-food items including generators, rubber boats, life jackets,
satellite phones, water tanks, tents, and temporary warehousing to key
government agencies involved in the relief response.
In Laos, following two major tropical storms in June/July which caused
significant damage to rice fields and infrastructure, WFP has been providing
emergency food assistance to 35,000 people in five of the worst flood-affected
districts of Khammaune province. An assessment planned for early December will
determine if/how this assistance will be extended in to 2012, and whether it
needs to be expanded into other provinces.
WFP does not have operations in Vietnam.