SITUATION ANALYSIS
In April, the food security sector assisted 818,054 displaced Syrians with US19$ per person as opposed to $27 due to funding shortfalls for the fourth consecutive month. As a follow up to the e-card validation exercise conducted in February-March , WFP held a final round of validation for the no-show cases that had not validated their e-cards. As a result of both rounds, 139,229 households (703,774 individuals) were validated; 25,313 households (103,391 individuals) were not validated; households (34,841 individuals) remain with a pending status, including households in Arsal and a number of protection cases which are receiving door-to- visits. The WFP e-card validation exercise has now been concluded. However, WFP will continue to work with its partners to determine the best way forward for the households in Arsal. The e-card validation exercise was only applicable to households that had received their e-cards before 31 October 2014. In line with the WFP household targeting plans for 2015, WFP and its’ partners continue to conduct household visits to determine eligibility for food assistance. As a result of the household visits, in April WFP informed 15,291 individuals that following their vulnerability assessment they were no longer eligible for food assistance and would not receive assistance in May.
Technical trainings of 25 poultry Farmers Fields Schools (FFS) and handling of materials and equipment to carry out poultry activities with 550 farmers are ongoing across Lebanon. Each FFS received 50 layers (total 1250 laying hens) to practice poultry husbandry and marketing eggs. In addition, the yearly livestock vaccination campaign that was initiated in mid-February is still ongoing across Lebanon with the support of the Veterinary Department. Overall, more than 416,00 animals (including cattle and small ruminants) were vaccinated by the end of April benefiting 13,050 farmers. The new GoL regulation imposed significant restrictions on entry of Syrians into Lebanon, including for Syrian seasonal workers. In order to be allowed into the country for work related purpose, Syrians are required to obtain from their potential employers a certified pledge of responsibility, which many employers are reluctant to provide especially farmers. As a result, the normal cross-border flow of Syrian seasonal labor has been severely disrupted and is reportedly causing shortages in some farming areas. The agriculture sector typically absorbs a large number of seasonal Syrian workers, particularly during the peak season (April to September). A large percentage of these workers are women who are predominantly involved in manual harvesting and post-harvest operation. Seasonal employment in agriculture can provide a key source of income for households that would enhance their food security by allowing them to purchase their basic food needs. This is particularly important in light of the reduction assistance down to $19 per person, which covers the costs of less than 25 percent of the refugees’ minimum basic expenditures.