User:Sacamet/1999 Vietnamese Floods

Food Security
Food security improved in Vietnam during the 1990s before the floods hit. Poorer households heavily dependent on energy from carbohydrates, such as rice, increased their calorific intake but still lacked iron, calcium and vitamins whilst richer households improved the quality of what they consumed. This was a result of economic growth resulting in a decrease in food insecurity across the population from 24.9% to 15% between 1993 and 1998 . However, the 1999 floods resulted in widespread food shortages for more than 1 million people, particularly those dependent on rice as a staple. This resulted in not enough nutrients being consumed impacting children from rural and poor households the most since they were already more likely to be suffering from malnutrition.

The floods destroyed 11,813 ha of paddy fields and damaged 63,726 ha of paddy fields, with further damage to 30,985 ha of other crops (sugarcane, manioc, maize, sweet potatoes, and nuts). A further 205,000 tonnes of food rotted or was wasted, including staples such as rice which accounts for 85% of Vietnam's grain harvest. An estimated 693,154 livestock was also lost, including 25,000 cows and buffaloes , with surviving livestock potentially succumbing to epidemics that follow floods.

Isolated villages, who had been surviving on instant noodles, began to run out of food by the 4th November 1999 with bad weather preventing food being airlifted. Food donations throughout Vietnam collected 100 tonnes of food by 10th November 1999 and Thua Thien Hue received 200 tons of food. Food assistance did not arrive in Hong Ha, where food is not stored, until one week after the flood resulting in many families experiencing hunger when floodwaters destroyed their crops.

Rice aid was initially distributed equally to households experiencing food insecurity. Further rice deliveries were distributed based on household categorisation determined by how badly the flood had impacted them. Between 150 and 250 kg of rice was provided to each household and lasted two to three months. Vegetable and bean seeds were provided by the Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry and many lowland households borrowed rice from neighbours with the intention of repaying after the next harvest. Once the rice aid was finished, households also lent and gave food to each other.

Once the floods subsided, due to the impact on crops, livestock and farmers, food security continued to be an issue for 80% of people living in the flooded region. The significant damage to paddy fields resulted in the winter-spring crop not being planted until March 2000. This resulted in a late harvest in October during the midst of the monsoon season in the central regions. Many poor households lost their main food source and income until the next harvest.

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