According to the March 2024 Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis released by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), nearly 55 million people in West and Central Africa will struggle to feed themselves in the June-August 2024 lean season.
This represents a four-million increase in the number of food-insecure individuals compared to the November 2023 forecast and highlights a fourfold increase over the past five years. In conflict-affected northern Mali, an estimated 2,600 people are likely to experience catastrophic hunger (IPC/CH phase 5). The latest data also indicates a significant shift in the factors driving food insecurity beyond recurring conflicts.
Economic challenges such as currency devaluations, soaring inflation, stagnating production, and trade barriers have exacerbated the food crisis, affecting ordinary people across Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Mali among the worst affected regions.
Prices of staple grains across the region continue to rise significantly driven by currency inflation, fuel and transport costs, ECOWAS sanctions, and restrictions on agropastoral product flows. Currency inflation plays a major role in price volatility in countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia.
West and Central Africa heavily relies on imports to meet food needs, but import bills continue to rise due to currency depreciation and high inflation, while countries face major fiscal and macroeconomic challenges.
The cereal production for the 2023-2024 agricultural season shows a deficit of 12 million tons, with per capita availability of cereals down by two percent compared to the last agricultural season.
WFP’s Acting Regional Director for Western Africa, Margot Vandervelden, emphasizes the need for immediate action and innovation to prevent the situation from worsening and to invest in resilience-building and long-term solutions for the future of West Africa.
In West and Central Africa, malnutrition rates are alarmingly high, with millions of children under five suffering from acute malnutrition and households struggling to afford healthy diets. The prevalence of acute malnutrition is especially high in certain regions, such as northern Nigeria.
To address the food and nutrition insecurity, FAO, UNICEF, and WFP urge national governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to implement sustainable solutions that enhance food security, agricultural productivity, and mitigate economic volatility.
The collaborative efforts of agencies and governments have benefited millions of people in countries like Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger through social protection programs and resilience-building initiatives. The promotion of policies to diversify production and ensure broader access to healthy diets is essential to protect biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change.
FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Robert Guei, emphasizes the importance of supporting policies that encourage diversification of production to ensure healthy, affordable diets and protect biodiversity.