Daily Operational Brief

AFGHANISTAN

Rising food prices across northern provinces increase pressure on WFP food assistance programmes as winter access constraints persist.

Food Security Situation

• Wheat flour prices in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Herat increased by 12-18 percent month-on-month, driven by supply disruptions on the Pakistan-Afghanistan trade corridor. The price increase reduces purchasing power for vulnerable households, likely increasing demand for WFP food assistance.
• According to the latest IPC analysis (March 2026), an estimated 15.8 million people face IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above food insecurity, representing 37 percent of the analysed population. WFP is targeting 12 million people with food and nutrition assistance in 2026.
• Heavy snowfall in Badakhshan and Baghlan provinces has blocked road access to several WFP distribution points. Alternative routes are being assessed; helicopter delivery is under consideration for the most isolated communities.

Humanitarian Access

• The de facto authorities issued a new directive requiring advance notification for all humanitarian movements in three northern provinces. WFP is engaging with local authorities to negotiate operational continuity and clarify implementation modalities.
• Cross-border cargo movement from Pakistan remains delayed at Torkham and Spin Boldak due to enhanced customs inspections, adding 3-5 days to delivery timelines for WFP commodity shipments.

WFP Operations

• WFP completed the February distribution cycle, reaching 3.2 million people across 28 provinces. The March cycle is being adjusted to prioritise northern provinces affected by price increases and access constraints.

(Sources: GDELT, ReliefWeb, IPC, WFP VAM)

BANGLADESH

Cyclone preparedness measures activated in Cox's Bazar as Tropical Storm Anika approaches the Bay of Bengal coastline.

Natural Hazards

• Tropical Storm Anika is forecast to make landfall near Chittagong within 48 hours, with sustained winds of 90 km/h. GDACS has issued an Orange alert. An estimated 2.1 million people in coastal districts may be affected, including 950,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar camps.
• The Government of Bangladesh has activated cyclone shelters in 14 coastal districts. Pre-positioning of emergency supplies is ongoing.

WFP Preparedness

• WFP has pre-positioned 500 metric tonnes of fortified biscuits and ready-to-eat meals in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong warehouses, sufficient for 200,000 people for 7 days. Mobile storage units are being deployed to secondary distribution points.
• The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), led by WFP, has deployed portable communications equipment to ensure coordination capacity if fixed infrastructure is damaged.

Humanitarian Situation

• Ongoing food ration cuts in Rohingya camps — reduced from USD 12.50 to USD 10 per person per month — have already elevated food insecurity among camp residents. Any cyclone impact would compound existing vulnerabilities and increase the urgency of restoring full rations.

(Sources: GDACS, GDELT, ReliefWeb)

MYANMAR (EARLY ACTION & EMERGENCY RESPONSE)

Intensified conflict in Rakhine State disrupts humanitarian access corridors, affecting food distribution to 850,000 people.

Security Situation

• ACLED reports 187 conflict events in the past 30 days, a 34 percent increase compared to the previous month. Fatalities rose to 412, concentrated in Rakhine (42 percent) and Sagaing (28 percent) states.
• The Arakan Army and Myanmar military exchanged heavy artillery fire near Sittwe on 4 April, causing civilian casualties and damage to port infrastructure used for humanitarian cargo.

Humanitarian Access

• WFP's primary supply route from Yangon to Sittwe via coastal shipping is suspended following damage to Sittwe port. Alternative overland routes through Magway are being assessed but would increase delivery times by approximately 10 days.
• An estimated 850,000 people in Rakhine State depend on WFP food assistance. Current in-country stocks can sustain distributions for 3 weeks without resupply.

Internal Displacement

• OCHA reports 45,000 new displacements in the past week across Rakhine and Chin states, bringing the total internally displaced population to an estimated 3.4 million. Many newly displaced families are sheltering in areas with limited humanitarian presence.

Implications for WFP

• If the Sittwe port remains inaccessible beyond 2 weeks, WFP may need to request donor support for airlift operations. The Country Director has convened an emergency logistics review for 7 April.

(Sources: ACLED, GDELT, ReliefWeb, OCHA)

PAKISTAN

Spring flooding in Sindh and Balochistan displaces 120,000 people; WFP pre-positions emergency food stocks.

Natural Hazards

• Heavy spring rainfall across Sindh and eastern Balochistan has caused riverine flooding along the Indus tributaries. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports 120,000 people displaced across 8 districts as of 5 April.
• The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts continued above-average rainfall for the next 5 days, with potential further flooding in Jacobabad and Larkana districts.

WFP Response

• WFP has pre-positioned 1,200 metric tonnes of wheat flour and 50,000 cartons of fortified biscuits in Sukkur and Quetta warehouses. Distribution to affected communities in Sindh is expected to begin within 48 hours pending access assessments.
• Cash-based transfer mechanisms are being activated in urban areas of Hyderabad and Sukkur for displaced populations with access to functioning markets.

Food Security Situation

• The flooding compounds existing food insecurity in Sindh, where the latest IPC analysis (February 2026) identified 5.2 million people in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above. Crop damage assessments are ongoing; early reports suggest significant losses to standing wheat crops in flood-affected areas, which may increase food insecurity in the coming lean season.

(Sources: GDELT, ReliefWeb, GDACS, WFP VAM)