The 8th analysis cycle on the Integrated Food Security Classification Framework (IPC) of DRC held in December 2012 identified 6.4 million people affected by a situation of food and livelihood crises, 77 regions have been classified in phase 3 and 8 regions in Phase 4 throughout DRC. The affected areas are in need of an emergency food and agricultural assistance. Regions in humanitarian emergency situation  (phase 4) are located in areas affected by armed conflicts of Northern Kivu (Rutshuru, Masisi), of Southern Kivu (Kalehe, Shabunda), of Maniema (Pangi) and Katanga (Mitwaba, Manono, Pweto), whereas all the provinces in DRC  are  taken  into  account  in  phase  3.  Established on  the  basis  of  a multidimensional  analysis  of  food  security,  this  classification  is  based  on  food security indicators which are household food consumption, livelihoods evolution, and nutritional state of children from 6-59 months and the mortality rate.

As  compared  to  the  7th IPC  analysis  cycle  on DRC  (June  2012),  we  notice  an  overall  increase  of  17%  in  the number  of  people  affected  by  food  and livelihood crises in the country (5.4 million people in June 2012 against 6.4 million people in December 2012). With regard to geographical dimension, more regions are affected in comparison with June 2012 cycle, namely zones affected by armed conflicts: 77 regions are entirely or partly classified in phase 3 (against 63 in June 2012) and 8 regions have zones in phase 4 (against 3 in June 2012). 43% of the regions were classified in phase 3 in June 2012 against 53% in December 2012. 2% of the regions were classified in phase 4 in June 2012 against nearly 5% in December 2012.

 Four different situations arise from the analysis of acute food insecurity carried out in DRC i.e.:

• regions affected by the resurgence of armed conflicts and other types of violence due to intercommunity conflicts – in the eastern part of the country (Northern and Southern Kivu, Eastern Province, and Maniema) and in the center of the Katanga Province;
• the issue of people expelled from Angola (Western Kasaï), Congolese repatriated to their country and the Central-African refugees in the West (Equatorial Provinces);
• the landlocked regions of the center and the western part of the  country  confronted  with  chronic  poverty  and  malnutrition  and  infant  mortality  rates  superior  to  intervention  and  emergency  thresholds  in (Bandunku and  western  Kasaï)   
• the  entire  country  which  prevails  in  a  chronic food  insecurity  situation  due  mainly  to  poverty,  precarious economic  situation  and  insufficiency  of  adequate  infrastructure.  Specifically,  the  Maniema  province  is  characterized  by  the  effects  of  conflicts  in neighboring  provinces  (Northern and Southern  Kivu), with  displacement  of  people  fleeing  from armed conflicts  zones. The most affected people are those  who  underwent  the  effects  of  recent  or  recurrent shocks  such  as  displacements,  repatriation or  expulsions.  The  host  families  whose  living conditions have been precarious for quite a while are also very affected.

Recommendations for response

• Improve the accessibility of affected zones to humanitarian assistance and ensure the protection of vulnerable people (government and partners),
• Pursue and intensify humanitarian actions
• Improve  the coordination and complementarity of actions  for better efficiency (government and partners)
• Mobilize adequate resources to meet people’s needs
• Ensure a continuum among emergency, rehabilitation, transitional and developmental activities in order to break up for good the vicious cycle of poverty and food insecurity in DRC (government and partners).

Recommendations for future actions

In DRC, the huge size of the country and the lack of recent and detailed data on all the 145 regions remain the major constraints to carry out situational analysis on acute food insecurity. It is high time to identify an efficient analysis methodology at national level by taking into account the realities of DRC in collaboration with the Technical Working Group and supported by provincial workshops and focal points for the realization of at least 2 annual IPC cycle analyses. Scheduled and situational analysis on chronic food insecurity shall be discussed in 2013.  Zone-based study of livelihoods would facilitate the classification of groups in situations of worst food insecurity. This classification will permit these groups to be given priority with regard to the high level of needs throughout the country due to the overall poverty level. Resources mobilization and capacity building of national stakeholders in IPC 2.0 techniques with a view to improving the quality of analysis remain a challenge to be addressed.