Highlights Agriculture and fisheries – Agricultural production throughout Rakhine State is generally constrained by a number of structural issues, such as inadequate access to land, low productivity, shortages of casual labour, limited credit availability and general lack of systematic, timely and efficient training and extension services to farmers. Continuous exposure to natural disasters and socio-political conditions further impair opportunities in agriculture. – The 2017/18 harvest of monsoon paddy, harvested by December 2017, was reported to be average to slightly above average in the southern (Kyaukphyu and Thandwe) and central (Sittwe and Mrauk-U) districts. In Maungdaw District, vast tracks of rice fields were deemed not to be harvested. Given that the Mission took place well after the harvest and before planting, it was unable to verify the situation on the ground but farmers interviewed confirmed the claim. No economically significant outbreaks of pests or diseases were reported in the season. – Production of winter crops (mostly groundnuts and vegetables) in the 2017/18 season in the southern and central parts was reported to be average. In Maungdaw District, production remained low as many fields were not sown. – Due to lack of precipitation or fresh water storage, summer (dry season) paddy production in the State is limited. – Possible scenarios for the 2018 main monsoon paddy season varied by location. In the southern districts, assuming normal weather conditions, the rice production was likely to resemble the previous years. In the central part, planting intentions reported by farmers were similar to the previous years, although labour shortages were likely to constrain overall production. In the north, areas planted were likely to be well below average due to reduced population, constrained access to field and limited availability of labour, draft animals and agricultural inputs, in particular seeds and fertilizers. – Small-scale household livestock rearing and poultry production prevail across the State, with the exception of a small number of commercial poultry farms in the southern part. Better-off households usually keep a couple of cows or buffalos as draught animals. Most households raise pigs to sell and poultry for their own consumption. In the northern part, the numbers of livestock and poultry have been severely reduced as a consequence of displacement and recent violence. – In Rakhine State, most of the farming households sell their excess products to intermediaries immediately following the harvest or livestock maturity to monetize production and repay their loans. A few store their rice crop while waiting for better marketing opportunities during the lean season. Restrictions on movement in Northern Rakhine State further constrain marketing and income earning opportunities. – Many farmers rely on small-scale fishing for their own consumption, mostly in ponds and creeks. In coastal areas, the presence of large commercial fisheries is reported to limit the availability of fish stocks. In inland areas, some fishermen reported the use of fraudulent fishing methods. The restrictions on movements limit fishing livelihood opportunities. – In many parts of the State, small-scale artisanal aquaculture is present. Natural conditions for a larger deployment of commercial aquaculture are favourable in the central and northern parts. At the moment, the potential has not been fully exploited. Food security and livelihoods In Southern districts, food is generally available throughout the year and yet part of the population faces problems accessing food during the monsoon season. Landless households and those dependent on casual labour with unreliable income are more exposed to seasonal and chronic food insecurity. The main livelihoods are mixed, including agriculture, small-scale fishing and collection of forest products, as jobs in the formal sector are limited. The improved water supply is cited as the main problem. In Central districts, food is generally available in the market. Some increases in food prices were noted, particularly for meat. Households spend, on average, 50 percent of their income on food, while casual labourers spend nearly all their income on food and often must resort to borrowing money. Casual labourers are thus the most vulnerable due to unreliable income and seasonal shortages of livelihood opportunities amplified by restrictions on movements. The Mission observed a greater exposure to seasonal food insecurity due to the reduced profitability in farming activities. With almost no access to formal consumption credit, most households partially rely on informal credit to purchase food. Access to clean water was also reported as a problem. – For people living in IDP sites, food assistance was an essential component of people’s food intake at the time of the Mission. The food supply was also partially supplemented by the limited local food production although agricultural inputs were scarce with labour provided by the household members. Limited work opportunities for causal labourers existed in the nearby villages. – In the Northern District of Maungdaw, the food security situation remained precarious at the time of the Mission due to the limited livelihood and income opportunities. Food assistance was a crucial addition to low household stocks. Many markets were burnt down and others closed during the violence in late 2017 and have not resumed. The Mission observed fewer supplies than normal and higher prices, especially in the rural markets. Lack of firewood due to restricted movement was affecting cooking and many women reported using rice husk for cooking fuel. There was a high demand for casual labour with a marked increase in daily rates offered, but, due to movement restrictions, few are able to make use of these opportunities. Diets were more restricted, increasing the risk of nutritional deterioration in pregnant, nursing women and young children as pre-crisis Global Acute Malnutrition levels were already critical1/ for children 6-59 months and stunting rates as high at 37.5 percent (DHS 2015/2016). – In Rakhine State, a high number of vulnerable populations with weak resilience and low agricultural productivity prevail. The recurring population displacement and acute limitations to movements for those not displaced caused the breakdown of value chains, losses in food production and destruction of assets. Natural events along with the violence have displaced many households over the years. Those who remain in their villages face similar risks, with limited attention and support services. – Food prices have been increasing faster than in the rest of the country. Since 2013, Rakhine State sustained an average yearly inflation rate of 12.9 percent against 7.7 percent registered at Union level. Food prices increased cumulatively by 44 percent with an increase of 16.9 percent between 2016 and 2017. In Maungdaw District, many markets were closed or operating with limited supplies, while food prices increased by 20 percent compared to June 2017. Recommendations The recommendations have been divided into urgent or immediate activities, which focus on life-saving actions, while the medium to long-term recommendations are focused on the structural and root causes of the issues identified. Immediate recommendations were also divided on the basis of the main actors involved (food security sector or national authorities), although in some cases coordinated actions were required by both. Immediate (life-saving actions) – Continue food assistance at least until the end of 2019 in the northern districts and IDP sites. – Conduct food security assessments at household level to determine the severity of the needs and profile immediate and short-term needs of vulnerable households beyond December 2018. – Continue livelihood support and agricultural input interventions for the monsoon and winter seasons of 2019 for the most vulnerable farmers. – Further mechanization would assist in timely planting and reduction of losses in the field, especially at the time of harvesting, but the majority of farmers who can afford mechanization depend on being able to hire machinery. The creation of micro-finance opportunities for the acquisition of equipment, such as power-tillers and hand-operated reapers, should be considered. – The promotion of integrated watershed management and irrigation can reduce flood risk, increase the supply of fresh water and reduce salinization, documented challenges that are stopping farmers from increasing yields and harvests. – Community asset creation would represent a possible cash and voucher-related strategy to support the livelihood activities of landless households, whilst improving basic infrastructure. – Villages with better symbiotic agriculture relationships between Rakhine State and Muslim communities offer opportunities to strengthen inter-community collaboration by building on lessons from successful conflict sensitive activities conducted in Rakhine State. – Increase women’s consumption of nutritious, vitamin-rich foods, through the provision of vegetable seeds coupled with trainings on nutrition good practices and the establishment of home gardens. To National Authorities – Enable population movement to allow rapid livelihood recovery for all (see Advisory Commission on Rakhine State recommendations). – Ensure health and nutrition services to all, particularly for those already malnourished and those at high risk of becoming malnourished. – Provide essential health and nutrition education, counselling and training on appropriate diets and infant and young child feeding practices to improve nutrition outcomes and reduce childhood stunting. Medium to long-term (structural causes) – Support the agricultural sector through measures that improve farm productivity and at the same time reduce climate-related disaster risks. – Input distribution conducted during the recovery phase should be combined with the transfer of improved technologies, such as registered or quality-declared seeds, education on cropping patterns and improved water management. – Support to rural infrastructure and value chains development. – Target assistance from the national social protection system to households with limited incomegenerating capacity. – Strengthening and expanding existing information systems and improving the capacities of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and the Central Statistical Organization to: (a) collect information; (b) improve the accuracy of agricultural and food security information; (c) foster the capacity to perform risk analysis and; (d) disseminate and use the resulting analysis to inform agriculture production planning. – Explore the potential for expanded micro-finance market across Rakhine State (as limited savings and access to finance remain significant barriers to alternative livelihood development, such as vegetables production or aquaculture). – Explore active labour market policies aimed at increasing the employability of the most vulnerable groups (young people, older workers, long-term unemployed, female workers) and reduce the seasonality of labour demand. – Address inadequate access to land and improve land distribution. – Carry out a comprehensive risk and vulnerability analysis/profiling across the main agriculture subsectors (crops, fisheries, livestock, irrigation and others) to better understand the complexities related to multi-hazard interactions and how these affect community tensions over increasingly scarce natural resources. The results from these analyses will guide the promotion of disaster risk reduction and risksensitive development approaches throughout the various streams of humanitarian and development assistance work. Full report is available at: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WFP-0000106975.pdf