SITUATION UPDATE
A national summit on Agriculture was held in Mbabane last week. The King, Queen Mother, Cabinet, farmers, civil servants, private sector, NGOs, development agencies and donors attended. The Summit concluded with eight declarations to transform the sector, including to: increase crop production and diversification, promote short cycle livestock; accelerate land policy reform initiatives; develop (strengthen) water harvesting and storage technologies, improve irrigation capacity; increase access to inputs such as seed, fertilizer; and support market and trade.
UNICEF RESPONSE
Health and Nutrition/WASH:
With input from UNICEF, Swaziland’s National Nutrition Council has established 17 nutrition surveillance centers at clinics and public health units. UNICEF and WFP also selected 30 Neighbourhood Care Points (NCPs) in all four regions to serve as additional sentinel sites. The sentinel sites based at health facilities are operational. Those at NCPs will need further work.
UNICEF Swaziland received therapeutic feeding supplies from the Uganda and Burundi UNICEF country offices. These supplies will reach three therapeutic feeding centers this week and two other centers the week after.
Education
At the first meeting of the school feeding committee since the drought was declared a national disaster, committee members received reports of problems with the supply of food and the food basket at schools in Manzini and Hhohho. Regional Education Officers will follow-up on these reports.
Child Protection
The informal cluster on Child Protection, including government, non-governmental and faith-based organizations, held its first meeting with stakeholders to discuss the sectoral response to the drought. An action plan was developed and responsible partners identified.
Distribution of 3,500 blankets to children in need began on the 19th of July and has been completed.