NORTHEAST ASIA PEACE AND SECURITY NETWORK ***** SPECIAL REPORT ***** December 16, 1998 The following is the complete November 15, 1998 Pyongyang Activity Report of the Food Aid Liaison Unit (FALU) Steering Committee of the UN World Food Program (WFP). It is redistributed with permission. The report details FALU's activities in the DPRK over the past year, including its attempts to promote cooperation between the WFP and international nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) working in the DPRK. Note also the decision by the DPRK to grant the first-ever foreign residence visa to a US citizen. ------------------------------- Food Aid Liaison Unit WFP Pyongyang Activity Report FALU Steering Committee, November 1998 Introduction The current year (1998) has been one of great new challenges and opportunities for the humanitarian community in the DPRK. Rapid increases in the number of resident agencies and their personnel at the beginning of the year were followed by some disappointing departures during the summer and fall. A significant increase in access to counties (for the purpose of monitoring) was followed by disappointing restrictions to a number of these areas following the summer. Nevertheless, on balance, one must conclude that a slow but steady progress can be observed. The relationship between Government and humanitarian agencies has become more constructive. A mutual learning process has taken place, and procedures are in place for dealing with misunderstandings, conflicts and problems. A nutritional survey was able to proceed according to rigorous scientific principles, discovering wasting and stunting at elevated levels. A crop assessment mission will soon report that food shortages continue to be critical into the next year. The Food Aid Liaison Unit has expanded its activities, adding new staff and responsibilities. FALU has become a well-known fixture in the DPRK humanitarian landscape, and has been affirmed by WFP as a successful experiment in UN-NGO relationships. Numerous NGO missions visit the WFP and FALU offices, or call on FALU expertise and consultative services. As 1998 draws to a conclusion, a review of the past year's activities may guide FALU partners in planning the year ahead. WFP office news The beginning of the summer saw major changes in the WFP Pyongyang leadership. WFP Representative and UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator Douglas Casson Coutts departed at the end of June. Deputy Country Director John Prout left mid-July, as did OCHA staffer Carlos Veloso. They took with them a wealth of expertise and institutional memory gained in their lengthy sojourn in Pyongyang. Arriving to take their place is a new and energetic leadership team. WFP Representative and Resident Humanitarian Coordinator is David Morton. Douglas Broderick, Senior Programme Manager (de facto Country Director) is the first US citizen to gain a residential visa for humanitarian work in the DPRK. Earlier this spring, a former member of the FALU steering committee, Al Kehler of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, switched hats to become WFP Programme Advisor. Taking Carlos Veloso's place in the OCHA office is Shahwar Pataudi. The number of WFP staff continues to increase. There are now 35 international staff (including 2 FALU) and approximately 44 local staff (including drivers and 1 FALU). Relief officers monitoring food distributions and staffing sub-offices now number 18. It has been agreed with Government that 8 more relief officers are to receive visas in the near future, bringing the total number of monitors to 26 before year's end. To move these officers to the many destinations across the country, the fleet of land cruisers has increased to 28. Five more vehicles are on order. WFP offices have become better equipped, and have finally been linked to e-mail access. WFP and FALU staff may now be reached at the following addresses: firstname.lastname@wfpdprk.org or the generic wfpdprk@wfpdprk.org At the end of spring, the DPRK country office of WFP held a major workshop, involving all WFP staff, both international and local. Some 60 people attended the sessions in Hyangsan, north of Pyongyang. The NGO Liaison Officer and Head of FALU served as chair of the organizing committee, and animated the workshop. The meeting helped to consolidate a working relationship among the various units of a very rapidly expanded country office, as well as between international and local staff members. It provided a place for all to voice both their frustrations and aspirations for the humanitarian aims of the operation. New ideas for the practical implementation of emergency work in the DPRK emerged and have since been implemented. A second workshop was organized jointly between WFP and FDRC at Mount Kumgang from 14 to 16 October. It succeeded in its purpose of building up an increasingly cooperative relationship between WFP and its Government counterpart, the Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee (FDRC). Major issues causing conflict between humanitarian agencies and the DPRK were highlighted. A commitment was made to seek solutions patiently through open and frank discussion. Workshops on specific aspects of the WFP programme are foreseen. A one-day workshop on Food-for-work in the DPRK was held in September. A workshop on monitoring methodologies, information requirements and data processing will be held early December. Monitoring access In October, the WFP's fifth sub-office was opened in Hyesan City, Ryanggang Province. This marks an important step in gaining regular access to all provinces of DPRK. In addition to Hyesan, sub-offices now exist in Sinuiju (North Pyongan), Wonsan (Kangwon), Hamhung (South Hamgyong) and Chongjin (North Hamgyong). North and South Hwanghae, South Pyongan and Chagang are covered from the Pyongyang office, as are the municipalities of Nampo, Kaesong and Pyongyang. As much as access has improved, there have also been setbacks. Chagang Province continues to be problematic. To date, only a few counties at the western side of the province have been accessed. For several weeks in September/October, even these were closed to humanitarian agencies. Although access was later restored, there is no guarantee that areas that have been accessible in the past will continue to be accessible in the future. A similar situation exists at the southern part of the DPRK, nearest to the demilitarized zone, where three counties belonging to Kaesong City have been barred to relief officers. Reasons for lack of access usually involve security considerations. In addition to increasing access to a greater number of counties and provinces, WFP and FALU have been expanding access within counties, visiting a greater number of ri's (townships) and institutions. This is resulting in a greater understanding of the needs of smaller towns, nurseries, kindergartens, schools and hospitals. FALU office news FALU began its second year of operation in May. Erich Weingartner, NGO Liaison Officer and Head of FALU, took home leave in June. He visited Ottawa, New York and Washington at the beginning of July, achieving a good deal of media attention and a heightened profile for the FALU operation. Thomas Hoerz, FALU Emergency Officer since April, has concentrated much of his time and energy on monitoring and reporting NGO food aid and agricultural inputs. He has also contributed substantially to rationalizing the programming of NGO food aid inputs, coordinating these with overall WFP commodity flows. He has become a significant asset to the WFP as a whole, strengthening FALU's liaison with the EMOP programme unit, to the point of taking leadership in the revision of WFP monitoring protocols. Jon Min Dok, FALU Emergency Assistant, has become a vital member of the FALU team since joining the unit in April. He has been able significantly to improve FALU communications with Government counterparts, especially the FDRC. He has developed and maintains a FALU commodity database and a user-friendly system of commodity-tracking sheets which are supplied to and filled in by WFP relief officers on field trips, greatly increasing the amount of data collected for use in reports to donor NGOs. In addition to assisting the FALU team and visiting delegations as a seasoned interpreter, he has begun since October to monitor FALU commodities on his own. In 1998, the FALU team visited 73 counties and districts in all provinces except Ryanggang. Because of the variety of FALU inputs and target groups, these visits included a greater variety of sites than is normal for WFP monitors. By the end of October, these included: 63 central warehouse checks, 26 PDS centres, 29 kindergartens, 34 nurseries, 10 primary schools, 70 families, 36 hospitals, 16 farms, 12 factories, 4 baby homes, an anti-epidemic station, two flood- stricken areas and one tree nursery, making a total of over 300 site visits. Medical commodities Since 1997, contributions from the ACT/Diakonisches Werk network included medical equipment, medicines, and pharmaceutical raw materials. FALU was asked to arrange for the adequate monitoring and reporting of medical inputs and liaison with pharmaceutical factories. Following consultations with WFP, WHO and UNICEF, it was decided that for the sake of cost-effectiveness and coordination, a consultant should be hired for a six-month period from within the international community already in Pyongyang, to operate within the framework of the WFP. Since the end of July, Ms Marilyn Weingartner has worked as WFP Health Unit Medical Assistant, under the direct supervision of Dr. Nguyen van Tien. The Medical Assistant began her assignment coordinating and following up a mission in August by DW/DIF'M pharmaceutical consultant Ms Edith Kaufmann. She visited pharmaceutical factories in Pyongyang and Sunchon cities to inspect the production, labeling, analysis and distribution of medicines made from donated raw materials. She has begun regular visits of Prevention Hospitals (a network of hospitals specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis). She prepared a background paper on the rationale for priority targeting of pregnant and nursing women (available on request), consulted with partners in the international community in Pyongyang on gaps in the current spectrum of medical donations to the DPRK, and prepared monitoring reports on medical contributions. On behalf of the WFP, she also participated in the WFP/ECHO/UNICEF nutritional survey. NGO Liaison NGO delegations continue to visit the DPRK in great numbers. Following is a sampling of delegations that have been in contact with FALU and WFP for consultations and services since April: April: Latter Day Saints Charities (LDSC) United Methodist Church (USA) United Church of Christ (Japan) Korean Sharing Movement (ROK) ACT (Diakonisches Werk, United Church of Canada) Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Caritas Hong Kong May: World Council of Churches (WCC) World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) World Vision International (WVI) Church World Service (NCCC-USA) Caritas International Campus Crusade for Christ - East Asia (Singapore) National Council of Churches in Korea (ROK) June: Peace Winds (Japan) Caritas Hong Kong July: Hungarian Baptist Aid, Caritas Japan, Triangle Generation Humanitaire (France) August: Edith Kaufmann, DW & DIF'M consultant (Germany) Sotoshu Volunteer Association (Japan) World Vision International (WVI) World Vision (ROK) United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) September: Church World Service (NCCC-USA) Caritas International, Trocaire (Ireland) OXFAM Hong Kong National Council of Churches in Korea (ROK) October: Triangle (France) American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) World Vision International (WVI) Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) November: Caritas International, Misereor (Germany) Action by Churches Together (ACT-Geneva) CARE (USA) Christian Friends of Korea (USA) The family of resident NGOs has suffered a decrease, with the departure of Medecins du Monde (MDM) in June, HelpAge International (HAI) in July and Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) in September. Other NGOs are taking their place. Triangle is negotiating an agreement with Government, and World Vision International has opened a liaison office in Pyongyang at the end of October, staffed by Mr. Roman A. Garma from the Philippines. The US-based PVO Consortium (comprising Catholic Relief Services, WVI, Mercy Corps International, CARE USA and Amigos Internacionales) have completed their assignment to manage and monitor food-for-work projects. Their work included distribution of 75,000mt of US Government food aid (maize). Although the eight PVO staff members were constrained to live in a hotel for the entire 5 months of the project's duration, they worked under the umbrella of the WFP, sharing offices in the WFP compound. There was a close relationship and cooperation between the PVO Consortium and FALU. A new Memorandum of Understanding has been signed for another project to be managed by the same Consortium in 1999. It is expected that a new team will begin work in February, to distribute a further 60,000mt of wheat donated by the USA, part of an expected 300,000mt donation through WFP. NGO shipments The Food Aid Liaison Unit has to date channeled some 36,000mt food and other commodities from NGOs to the DPRK, with an approximate US dollar value of $11 million. This compares to 55,000 mt delivered in 1997 at a value of US$14 million. The commodities in 1998 have generally been of higher value, supplementing WFP cereal shipments with pulses, oil, sugar, high- energy milk, biscuits, and others. The average value of commodities per ton in 1998 was $300, compared to $256 in 1997. A document listing NGO shipments channeled through WFP/FALU from the beginning of 1998 is available in a Microsoft Excel file from WFP/FALU. Weather patterns Spring and early summer 1998 saw fairly normal weather conditions for this time of the year. Food supply via the Public Distribution System (PDS) had run out in all areas by mid-April. As summer progressed, FALU and WFP relief officers saw a steady increase in the use of "alternative" foods, such as edible grasses, seaweed, roots, bark, berries, mushrooms, and acorns. In the absence of PDS distributions, acorns have become a part of the staple diet for most people living in or near mountains. During August and September, the number of brown squares of drying acorns along roadsides and on rooftops rivaled those of the more prevalent carpets of yellow maize kernels. Summer weather was also more "normal" this year, with the expected period of heavy rains in July and August. The severe flooding which affected China and South Korea largely spared the DPRK, except for the southern Kaesong area, which received part of the South Korean weather system. Damage to fields and housing was observed by WFP investigating teams. Sporadic storms of a violent nature were reported in other parts of the country, for example numerous counties of North Pyongan, especially those bordering the western seashore, and the Tongchon area on the eastern seaboard of Kangwon Province. Fortunately, the sometimes heavy damage to farms and infrastructure was restricted to more limited geographical areas this year. More damaging to agricultural output was the cold weather and almost complete lack of sunshine along much of the East Coast of the DPRK. The provinces of North and South Hamgyong suffered appreciable yield reductions of both rice and maize, with some counties reporting a net reduction of 30% of harvested volume over 1997. Spring Barley Double-Cropping Winter wheat and spring barley planted in the fall of 1997 and early spring 1998 have seen reasonable returns. The double- cropping programme has shown itself to be viable and farmers are eager once again to increase the planted areas. 38,000 hectares were double-cropped in 1997, 70,000 ha in 1998. For 1999, the target is 100,000 ha winter wheat and barley, with another 50,000 hectares added in the coming spring. Farmers express a preference for winter wheat, because it allows for a longer growing season, and because spring planting is more susceptible to inclement weather. More important, perhaps, is the fact that during the past 2 years the supply of seeds from international donors arrived very late. Sown too late, the barley often had to be harvested prematurely so as not to jeopardize rice transplanting. In some cases observed by FALU monitors, farmers reported yields severely curtailed by harvesting the barley at only 40% to 60% maturity. This is a factor of major importance, since double cropping comes at a price in soil fertility. Farmers report that for every two metric tons of barley harvested, one can expect a reduction of one ton of rice. Timely planting and harvesting at maturity is therefore essential for an increase of overall crop yields. Cereal yields from double cropping were on average 2,500 kg/ha in 1998. Distribution of agricultural inputs tended to be somewhat chaotic this year. Since much of the barley seed donated by various international agencies arrived in country at about the same time and needed to be planted almost immediately, carefully fashioned distribution plans were all but ignored. The appropriate amounts of barley seed were usually reported to have arrived in the farms visited, and could be observed growing. However, it was difficult to identify donors of the seeds as per plan. The supply of fertilizer continues to be one of the primary problems. Although FALU donors who contributed seeds also contributed the corresponding amounts of fertilizer, it was not uncommon to find farmers economizing, spreading some quantities onto crops other than the targeted spring barley. This further diluted the barley yield. A small number of farms reported mould diseases in certain strains of barley, a result of the relatively high moisture content and insufficient draining of paddy soil. Fortunately, this problem was not widespread. On the positive side, insect infestation was rare this year, partly attributable to FALU donor (ACT) input of pesticides, complete with knapsack sprayers and safety suits. There reportedly is sufficient barley seed set aside to satisfy next spring's needs. The UNDP instead appealed for donations of winter wheat and barley seeds, an appeal that was also communicated to NGOs in the FALU network. It is hoped that in 1999 the output from the double-cropping programme will increase to 375,000mt, up from an estimated 175,000mt in 1998. Impact of food aid and new vulnerabilities A consistent observation of relief officers was that younger children of nursery and kindergarten age (6 months to 6 years) appeared to have benefited from international aid. They are in better health than was observable during the same period in 1997. This is a reassuring observation, considering that the main target groups of WFP food have been nurseries and kindergartens. It is a strong indication that food aid is reaching those for whom it was meant. The vulnerability of these children has not ended, unfortunately. As the recent nutritional survey shows (see below), the youngest children continue to suffer a significant degree of wasting and stunting. In addition, sustained food shortages lead to immune deficiencies and vulnerability to disease. An increasing incidence of malnutrition and related gastro-intestinal diseases has been observed in older schoolchildren (7 to 17 years of age). A number of such cases were seen by FALU officers in pediatric hospitals. WFP relief officers and resident NGOs routinely observed emaciated children in the classrooms of primary and secondary (middle) schools. By mid-summer, the WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP) and FALU began to deliver food for the supplementary feeding of schoolchildren. Although this had originally been a part of the current EMOP, insufficient response to the WFP appeal meant that for most of 1998, shipments were consigned exclusively to nurseries and kindergartens. Feeding schoolchildren presents a challenge, since primary and secondary schools do not have institutional cooking and feeding facilities. Distribution to families via the PDS in practice means diluting the rations, since any food supplied to the children can be expected to be consumed by all family members. FALU has experimented with alternative distribution methodologies. A donation of fortified biscuits (by CARE Germany) has been distributed directly to children as a mid-morning snack at educational institutions of a selected number of counties. WFP is now considering a similar scheme, supplying the raw materials for fortified biscuits to be baked in-country, for distribution in schools. Since malnourished children and adults often end up in hospitals, the supply of food to hospitals is critical. FALU this year has augmented hospital food stocks in several parts of the country, using ACT and Caritas-supplied cereals, pulses and oil. Crop Assessment An FAO/WFP interim crop assessment was made in June, largely substantiating earlier projections about food shortages. In October the annual FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment mission examined the 1998 crop, projecting cereal needs for the following year. At the present writing, the report has not been published, but findings are expected to include the following: Cereal production registered a modest recovery in 1998. A large food deficit will continue into 1999, aggravating the already weak nutritional status of the population. Cereal production is expected to cover the needs of the population for about eight months. Import of 1.35 million mt food grains will be needed in 1998/99, including 1.05 million mt as food assistance. Reasons for the continued low production capacity in spite of better weather include agricultural input constraints such as irrigation, seed quality, lack of plastic sheets, fertilizer, farm machinery and equipment. The total cereal requirements in the DPRK are 4.835 million mt. This includes 3.925 million mt for human consumption. Total production is expected to be 3.481 million mt, leaving a deficit of 1.354 million mt. Only 300,000mt are expected to be obtained through commercial transactions, leaving 1.054 million mt uncovered. Nutritional Survey For 3 weeks in September/October 1998, WFP, UNICEF and ECHO conducted a nutritional survey in cooperation with the Korean Institute for Child Nutrition. The survey measured 1,573 children from 6 to 84 months. Subjects were chosen in a three- stage statistical sampling, guaranteeing that each household in 130 accessible counties had an equal chance of being selected for the survey. The measurements determined weight, height, and incidence of edema. 14 teams were dispatched to 116 ri's in over 29 counties and districts in 9 provinces of the DPRK. UNICEF combined the nutritional survey with a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), based on interviews with families regarding such aspects of daily living as water supply and sanitation, childbirth and breast-feeding practices, immunization status of children, education, incidence of illness and diarrhea among children, feeding routines for children under five, and home care of children with diarrhea. The results of the survey show significant wasting among the selected children. Global acute malnutrition (20% less weight than expected for height) stands at 14%, with severe acute malnutrition (30% less weight) at 2%. This ranks the DPRK's malnutrition rate as the 4th worst in Asia (after India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). Stunting (lower height than expected for the age group) is observed in 65% of the sample. This phenomenon is not completely attributable to insufficient food intake, however. Reasons for stunting are complicated by ethnic, cultural and dietary factors. What is more dramatic is the fact that in the 12-24 month age group, moderate to severe wasting approaches 30%, while 18% of 6-12 month-old children are in this condition. The latter statistic may indicate children are born with low birth weight, pointing to a need for more attention to the nutritional needs of pregnant women and nursing mothers. Conclusions The generosity and concern of NGOs cooperating within the Food Aid Liaison Unit has been proved once again in the current year. FALU-related NGOs have chosen to maximize their resources by working together in order to achieve their humanitarian purposes in the DPRK. Some have willingly opted to refrain from seeking the establishment of their own offices in the DPRK at this period in history. This commendable spirit of cooperation is not sufficiently highlighted or acknowledged. WFP's Executive Director, Catherine Bertini, highlighted the role of FALU in her report to the United Nations Economic and Social Council in July 1998, calling it a unique experiment in United Nations-NGO cooperation. The generosity and concern of FALU-related NGOs will be tested ever more severely as the realization dawns that the crisis in the DPRK is multi-faceted and protracted. The fact that a relatively "normal" harvest season has produced only marginally better agricultural yields should be a wake-up call for all humanitarian agencies. The problems of food shortage in the DPRK will remain for some time to come. The first scientifically defensible nutritional survey has exposed a situation in which a significant percentage of the country's future generation will likely be permanently handicapped (both physically and mentally!) unless the food shortages can be overcome. The emergency is NOT over! This is a tremendous challenge to all humanitarian agencies, but especially to FALU. The Food Aid Liaison Unit has been a vanguard for the WFP and for other agencies, experimenting with the supply of commodities to beneficiaries who are hard to reach, difficult to monitor, yet whose needs are indisputable. NGOs cooperating with FALU have supplied food to homes for the elderly, to pregnant women, to schoolchildren in institutions, to rural industrial families. One FALU NGO has a pilot project to supply medical raw materials to pharmaceutical factories in the DPRK -- with adequate safeguards for quality control, including the supply of equipment for production facilities and testing laboratories. FALU has been able to complement an inadequate food basket for WFP's primary target group: children in nurseries and kindergartens, who will not be adequately nourished if they receive only cereals, at the exclusion of pulses and oil. With the prospect of a longer-term emergency, FALU is seeking to assure a longer- term supply of food to specific target groups and institutions. Both Caritas and ACT have begun to supply hospitals with all food groups for periods of up to 6 months. This type of programmed food supply will be in increasing demand as Government permits more reliable impact assessments. For the coming year, FALU may do well to concentrate on what it has proved to do best: filling the gaps left by intergovernmental aid programmes (e.g. the supply of pulses and oil to nurseries and kindergartens), experimenting with new programmes and beneficiary groups (e.g. double cropping, supply of medical raw materials, food to pregnant women, nursing mothers and the elderly), and assuring a longer-term supply of food to critical target groups (e.g. hospitals).