The food situation in Djibouti has improved substantially in some areas (Ali Sabieh and Tadjourah), while the effects of persistent drought are still felt in others (Obock) where livelihoods have been severely affected.

The return to rainfall trend at the end of 2012 persisted in 2013, especially with the Karma rains in September 2013, which contributed in large part to the increase in the annual rainfall rate (average of 628 mm, the region benefiting from the most Strong rainfall being Ali Sabieh (1487mm). Livestock Ownership Indicators (LSUs), the main rural livelihoods, point to a positive trend in the Tadjourah and Ali Sabieh regions (≃30%) since September 2013. However, there is a marked deterioration in Regions of Arta and Obock, the latter having recorded more than 65% loss of livestock compared to the same period of the previous year.

The poor food consumption score ranges from 80% to 15%, which is synonymous with a high level of insecurity, namely in the most affected regions. Indicators of malnutrition attract particular attention with rates of acute malnutrition (MAG) which reach the emergency threshold set at 15% in all regions and even exceed it by far (25.7% from MAG to Obock, FSMS February 2014). The Reduced Survival Strategy Index (CSI) emphasizes that the use of coping strategies is increasing; There are twice as many adaptation strategies in the Dikhil and Obock areas, including crisis and distress strategies (sale of breeding animals, charcoal trading, hazardous activities and / Or illegal).

It is important to note that households continue to spend almost all of their budgets (between 75% and 90%) to meet their food needs, even in regions where the indicators show a positive trend since early 2014 ( Tadjourah and Ali Sabieh).

The extreme poverty rate at the country level is 72.5% and the unemployment rate at 48.4%, the latter being much higher in rural areas, reaching 65.3% in Tadjourah and 59.4% % In Dikhil (EDAM 2012, DISED).

Overall, despite a partial improvement since the end of 2013, the food security situation in the Republic of Djibouti remains worrying. Indicators of food consumption, livelihood developments and nutrition data point to a very precarious situation in rural areas of Djibouti. Agropastoral populations, dependent on weather conditions and commodity price fluctuations, remain particularly vulnerable to shocks.

Main factors determining the food security situation:

• Prolonged effects of drought over 5 years
• Chronic food insecurity in Djibouti;
• The very high poverty rate (72.5% extreme poverty) which makes the community very vulnerable to any shock;
• Loss of animals, the main livelihood in rural areas, continues to be observed since last year in the regions still under pressure from the drought: very deep in Obock, still important to Dikhil and Arta;
• With almost total dependence on the external market (More than 90% of food is imported), the increase Significantly reduced access to food;
• The return of the rains observed at the end of 2012 and the rehabilitation of livelihoods (albeit still precarious) have had a positive impact in some localities.

Process recommendations for next steps

For the cluster:

• Improve the collection of data in an inclusive manner for better analysis and guidance;(disaggregated demographic data in order to be able to provide estimates of populations in the different phases of crises and regions)
• Plan an update training for the members of the technical working group;
• The organization of the analysis in Tadjourah had a negative impact on the participation of participants so it is necessary to identify more strategic locations for the analysis

For the IPC TWG:

• Capitalize on trained members to form a hard core, competent and stable to participate in the next cycles.

For the Government:

• Make available already trained participants for the next analyses;
• Accelerate the process of appropriation of the IPC tool.