In Numbers
38 mt of food assistance distributed
USD 3.2 m cash-based transfers made
USD 76 m six months (June - November 2020) net funding requirements
449,623 people assisted in May 2020
Operational Updates
• The COVID-19 confirmed cases continue to increase in Mali. As of 1 June, the government daily situation report indicated 1,315 positives cases in the country including 744 recoveries and 78 deaths.
• In support to the Government response to COVID-19 and as part of its food assistance planned for the lean season in June, WFP planned a sensitization campaign targeting beneficiaries, local authorities, and partners. Key campaign messages include beneficiaries’ rights, food distribution process in COVID-19 context, food entitlements, eligibility criteria, distribution calendar and locations.
• Following a request from the Ministry of Public Health, WFP increased its storage capacity in Bamako from 500 mt to 700 mt to accommodate medical products for COVID-19 response in Mali.
• In May, WFP completed a mobile vulnerability assessment and mapping (mVAM) for in-depth analysis of COVID-19 impact on markets and households’ food security and nutrition situation.
Preliminary results indicated a deterioration in several food security indicators compared to the last national food security assessment (ENSAN) carried out in February 2020. Price increases were also noted in northern regions of Mali for imported food items due to border closure and high market dependency on imports.
• The data collection for market retail capacity assessment in the regions of Gao, Timbuktu, Segou and Mopti was completed in 404 villages with 2,500 interviews carried out. Findings from this evaluation, expected by mid-June, will provide better guidance on the choice of transfer mechanisms for food assistance.
• Life-saving food assistance for May was carried out targeting 326 000 vulnerable men, women, girls and boys in northern and central regions and 3,000 persons affected by COVID-19 in Kayes region.
• In an effort to address the negative effects of COVID-19 on education, WFP in collaboration with the Ministry of Education planned to provide take-home rations to vulnerable families whose children were enrolled in WFP school feeding programme. The operation is due to begin in mid-June targeting 98,000 primary schoolchildren registered in 434 schools in the country.