Ditwah doubles food insecurity to 32%, report finds

70% of households are unable to afford their preferred nutritious food

• Transport breakdowns have left 25% of households unable to access their usual foods
• 16% of adults are eating less to feed their children
• Nearly 40% of households now have insufficient food consumption a 13-point surge since December 

A coordinated rapid assessment led by United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners has revealed a dramatic escalation in food insecurity following Cyclone Ditwah, with 32 percent of surveyed households now facing food insecurity double the rate recorded in December 2024.  

The rapid deterioration is captured in real-time through WFP’s mobile food security surveys (mVAM), which show alarming declines in daily nutrition.  

Nearly 40% of households now have insufficient food consumption a 13-point surge since December while the number of families with poor diets has nearly tripled to 8%. 

Diets have narrowed dramatically: the average household consumes fruits only once a week and animal protein and dairy less than three days a week.  

Communities cite the cyclone’s widespread destruction as the driving force behind the crisis. “Loss of livelihoods, crop failures, limited market access, and vanished purchasing power have pushed families to the edge,” the report states. 

Road damage and transport breakdowns have left 25% of households unable to access their usual foods, with 21% specifically pointing to inaccessible roads.  

The most vulnerable groups households headed by women, those with elderly or pregnant members, and families relying on daily wage labour are experiencing the worst impacts. In response, negative coping strategies have surged: 59% of households now rely on food-based coping, up from 38%, while many are borrowing money, draining savings, or reducing meals to survive.  

The report also revealed that 70% of households unable to afford their preferred nutritious food. Food insecurity has driven alarming coping strategies: 35% depend on requested food aid, 33% have reduced meal sizes and 29% eat fewer meals daily.  

The crisis is forcing families into difficult trade-offs. 16% of adults are eating less to feed their children while 32% are buying food on credit. 

More drastic measures include 31% using savings or skipping debt payments for food, and 26% taking loans or pawning assets. Additionally, 20% have sold gold or jewellery and 17% have cut health and education spending to afford food, it added.