63
FOOD SECURITY
Figure 7.2: Population, by level of food security, and by residence, season in percentages
5 10
15 20
25 30
35 40
S p
ri n
g S
u m
m e
r A
u tu
m n
W in
te r
S p
ri n
g S
u m
m e
r S
p ri
n g
S u
m m
e r
A u
tu m
n W
in te
r S
p ri
n g
S u
m m
e r
W in
te r
S p
ri n
g S
u m
m e
r S
p ri
n g
S u
m m
e r
A u
tu m
n W
in te
r S
p ri
n g
S u
m m
e r
2011 2012
2011 2012
2011 2012
2011 2012
Urba n Rura l
Kuchi Na tiona l
38 30
32 33
35 32
21 18
26 28
31 29
28 16
19 27
22 27
29 32
28
7.6.2 Harvest and lean season’s differences
The main harvest period is generally between May and July for main staples including wheat, maize and barley crops. The post-harvest period is usually from August to mid-December, and pre-harvest the lean season is generally from
mid-December to April. However, there is considerable variation in these seasons across the country see also Annex VII.
Considering these three distinct periods of the harvest, post-harvest and lean season there is a general decrease in the proportion of food-insecure people between the lean season and the harvest period across all regions, except in
Central Highlands where the proportion increased from 22 percent to 36 percent in 2011 Table 7.6. Based on the 2011 seasonal trend, the percentage of food-insecure people increased between the harvest and post-harvest periods
in all regions, except the South-west. This increased food insecurity was likely related to the poorer crops in 2011 and diminished cereal stocks due to the severe 2011 drought. An improved situation is reported for the period between the
lean season and harvest, as well as between the harvest and post-harvest periods in 2012, when the proportion of
food-insecure people consistently decreased in all regions. The above indings indicate that the critical period of food insecurity usually occurs during the lean season that generally lasts from mid-December to April in most parts of the
country, and can extend to July in Badakhshan and the provinces of the Central Highlands.
A comparison across population groups shows a similar trend, with the largest proportion of people facing food insecurity during the lean season, except in rural areas in 2011 when the rate remained the same as for the harvest period that
same year, which is probably due to the good 2010 harvest. In urban areas in 2012, the proportion of population facing food insecurity increased from 32 percent during the lean season to 37 percent at harvest time, and then reduced to 21
percent in post-harvest period. Since urban food insecurity is affected not only by the amount of harvested crop available in the urban markets, but also by other market and economic factors, the impact of food insecurity seems to go beyond
seasonal factors.
64
FOOD SECURITY
Table 7.6: Percentage of food-insecure households, by year, harvest season, and by region and residence
Region and residence
2011 2012
Lean season
Harvest period
Post-harvest period
Lean season
Harvest period
Post-harvest period
Region
North 23
16 22
41 32
- North-East
42 30
43 52
46 -
Central highland 22
36 41
33 25
- Central
30 18
22 25
16 -
South 22
16 27
20 22
- East
22 8
18 27
26 13
West 17
13 23
25 21
15 South-West
46 30
27 31
20 -
Residence
Urban 38
29 32
32 37
21 Rural
21 21
27 30
28 11
Kuchi -
- 32
24 20
15 National
28 23
28 30
28 13
For rural areas in 2012, the percentage of the population who were food insecure steadily decreased from 30 percent in the lean season to 28 percent in the harvest period and to 11 percent in the post-harvest season. A similar improving
trend of food insecurity is also reported among the Kuchi in 2012, where the proportion of population who were food insecure steadily reduced from 24 percent during the lean season to 20 percent during the harvest season and to 15
percent in the post-harvest season. Improved agricultural production, with a good national harvest in 2012, was likely an important factor for dramatically improved food security in the country during post-harvest period of 2012, as compared
with the same period in 2011.
7.7 Food access and supply 7.7.1 Availability of different food items by food security status
The average quantity of food items available and consumed per person per day varies with the food security status of the household. The very severely-, severely- and moderately food insecure households consume on average, respectively,
238 grams, 318 grams and 371 grams of cereals per person per day. The quantity of cereals consumed by these food- insecure groups is signiicantly lower than the recommended cereal ration of 400 grams per person per day for relief
food aid interventions. Households with lower caloric intake from cereals are therefore not meeting the recommended requirement for an active and healthy life. There seems to be a very high consumption of dairy products and fruits
among the households with better caloric intake, indicating a better quality diet, richer in micronutrients and vitamins. It should be noted that some dairy products consumed, such as dough and ghee, contain no protein. Obviously, food-
insecure households consume a much less diversiied diet and in lower quantities, making them more vulnerable to food insecurity Table 7.7.
